Silky baked rice pudding with a caramelised golden skin — Turkey's most beloved everyday dessert.
Sütlaç is Turkey's version of rice pudding, but transformed by a final blast under the grill (broiler) that creates a uniquely caramelised skin on top — a light brown layer that adds a slightly bitter caramel note contrasting beautifully with the sweet, creamy pudding beneath. It is found in every lokanta, pastane, and home kitchen in Turkey, served cold in individual clay dishes, the caramelised top dusted with cinnamon. The technique is simple but the details matter: the rice must be cooked slowly in milk until completely soft and almost disintegrating, creating the characteristic thick, glossy consistency. The rice starch acts as a natural thickener, so no eggs or cornstarch are needed in the traditional version. Vanilla and a hint of mastic resin (sakız) are the defining flavours, though plain vanilla is perfectly authentic. Sütlaç is a dessert for all seasons — cooling and comforting in equal measure. It can be made the day before and refrigerated, and it reheats gently if you prefer it warm.
Serves 6
Combine rice and 500ml water in a pot. Cook over medium heat until water is absorbed and rice is very soft, about 15 minutes.
Add milk and sugar. Simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, for 20–25 minutes until thick and creamy.
Keep stirring — the bottom scorches easily. A heavy-bottomed pot helps.
Add cornstarch mixture and vanilla. Stir constantly for 5 minutes until the pudding is thick enough to coat a spoon heavily.
Pour into individual clay or ceramic oven dishes. Place under a hot grill (broiler) for 5–8 minutes until the surface is caramelised to a deep golden brown.
Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 2 hours. Dust with cinnamon before serving.
Traditional sütlaç uses no cornstarch — just rice starch from long slow cooking. Add cornstarch only if you prefer a firmer set.
The grill stage must be watched closely — it goes from perfect to burnt quickly.
Clay dishes retain cold beautifully and are traditional for this dessert.
Add a small piece of mastic resin (sakız) ground with a pinch of sugar for an authentic pastane flavour.
Fırın sütlaç: bake in the oven at 200°C rather than under the grill for a more even caramelisation.
Keeps 3 days in the fridge, covered. Serve cold.
Rice pudding in one form or another has been eaten across the Middle East and Mediterranean since ancient times, with rice arriving in Anatolia from Persia. The distinctive oven-baked version with its caramelised skin (fırın sütlaç) became a signature of Istanbul's historical pudding shops (muhallebici) and remains one of the most beloved everyday desserts in Turkish cuisine today.
The defining difference is the caramelised skin — sütlaç is placed under a grill after cooking to create a lightly burnt, caramel-flavoured top layer, then chilled and served cold. Most Western rice puddings are served warm without this step. The texture of sütlaç is also very silky, almost custard-like.
Per serving (250g / 8.8 oz) · 6 servings total
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