Cold-Infused Roasted Chestnut Riz au Lait with Tart Spiced Plums

Instructions

1. 1

   Crush 150g roasted chestnuts roughly with the back of a chef's knife. In a 1-quart glass container, combine the crushed chestnuts with 600g whole milk and 150g heavy cream. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or overnight to extract pure chestnut aromatics without clouding the dairy.

   5 min

   Tip: Wipe your counter clean before you start. Cold infusion pulls the sweet, nutty essence into the milk fat while leaving astringent tannins behind.

2. 2

   Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Pour the cold chestnut dairy through the strainer, pressing lightly on the solids with a flexible spatula to capture every drop of infused liquid. Discard or compost the spent solids.

   5 min

   Tip: Do not aggressively pulverize the solids into the liquid; a gentle press keeps the milk silky and clean.

3. 3

   To the saucepan with the strained chestnut milk, add 100g arborio rice, 2g fine sea salt, and 5g vanilla bean paste. Place over medium-low heat. Bring to a faint simmer with gentle bubbles breaking the surface, then lower heat to low. Cook undisturbed for 25 minutes, stirring gently every 4 to 5 minutes with a heatproof spatula to prevent the bottom from catching.

   25 min

   Tip: Never rinse the rice. That surface starch is our thickening agent. Set a timer so you don't walk away.

4. 4

   While the rice simmers, combine 250g ripe red plums, 30g granulated sugar, and 15g fresh lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes until the fruit yields and forms a tart, ruby compote that coats a spoon, then pull off the heat.

   12 min

   Tip: Keep the plum slices intact enough to maintain structural bite; contrast is our secret ingredient.

5. 5

   In a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, gently toast 15g black sesame seeds and 15g cocoa nibs together for 3 minutes until fragrant. Transfer immediately to a small ramekin to halt cooking.

   5 min

   Tip: Label the ramekin with painter's tape if prepping ahead. The dry heat unlocks the aromatic oils in the sesame.

6. 6

   Check the rice at 25 minutes; the grains should be tender with an al dente core and the dairy thickened like loose cream. Stir in the remaining 30g granulated sugar and cook for exactly 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat and scrape into a shallow bowl to cool to lukewarm or chill completely.

   15 min

   Tip: Why this works: Adding sugar at the end prevents it from weeping moisture or scorching during the primary simmer.

7. 7

   Spoon the cooled chestnut riz au lait into chilled shallow bowls. Top each portion with a generous spoonful of warm or chilled tart plum compote. Scatter the toasted sesame and cocoa nib mixture across the top, and finish with 1g flaky sea salt.

   5 min

   Tip: Two textures, one bold contrast: lush, fragrant grains against sharp fruit and a crisp, bitter crunch.