Budini di riso (Florentine Rice Pudding Tarts) Recipe

To Make the Crusts

1. In a food processor (if you don't have one, you can instead mix the dough in a large mixing bowl using a pastry cutter or your fingers), work the butter into the flour, together with the pinch of salt, until it resembles a coarse, sandy yellow cornmeal.

2. Mix in the powdered sugar and transfer the mixture to a work surface.

3. Form the mixture into a volcano shape (with a crater in the middle) and place the egg yolks and zest in the crater.

4. Use a fork to beat the yolks and mix them into the flour, then use your hands to work the liquid and dry parts together just to form a dough. Be careful not to overwork it -- you just want it to stay together, otherwise, your crusts will be tough and hard, rather than crumbly and tender.

5. Form the dough into a round, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.

6. Once the 30 minutes are up, preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).

7. Remove the dough to a floured work surface and roll it out very thin (about 1/8" or 3 mm thick).

8. Cut it into rounds slightly larger than your tart tins or muffin cups, using either a sharp paring knife or a round cutter shape.

9. Gently press the dough into the bottom and sides of the molds with your fingers, then pierce the bottom a sides of each a few times with the tines of a fork. (In Florence, the crust is often shaped so that it has a little "lip" around the edge, but that's optional.)

10. Fill each tin with dried beans (to keep the dough from puffing up while baking) and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.

11. Remove and set aside to cool, then remove and discard the beans when cooled. 

To Make the Rice Pudding

1. While the dough chills, make the rice pudding and preheat the oven to 392 F (200 C).

2. In a medium, heavy-bottomed pot over low heat, melt the butter. 

3. Add the rice and shot of Vin Santo (or other alcohol, if using), and stir with a wooden spoon for about 1 minute.

4. Add the milk, sugar, vanilla seeds, and vanilla paste or extract and simmer gently, uncovered, over low heat until the rice is tender (but not completely mushy) and most (but not quite all) of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Do not let the pudding get too dry, as it will dry out further in the oven and your tarts will be dry and tough, rather than moist and creamy.

5. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

6. Stir in the beaten eggs and orange and lemon zest. 

To Make the Tarts

1. Spoon the rice pudding into each pre-baked crust up to the edge and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the tops are firm and golden brown. 

2. Set the tartlet pans or muffin tin on a wire rack to cool, then remove the mini tarts to another wire rack to cool completely.

3. Lightly dust with powdered sugar just before serving.