Ingredients:

10 servings

• 2/3 cup golden raisins
• 1/3 cup gold rum
• 4 cups milk
• 1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3-4 strips of orange peel
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
• Zest of 1 orange
• Pinch of salt
• Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Sweetened whipped cream for serving (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.
3. Put the raisins in a small bowl, add the rum, and set aside.
4. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a rapid simmer.
   Add the rice, vanilla, and orange strips.
   Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover the saucepan, and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 25-30 minutes.
5. Put the cooked rice in a bowl to cool; remove and discard the orange strips.
   When the rice is cool, stir in the raisins and rum, almonds, orange zest, and salt.
6. In a bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until light and creamy.  Stir the eggs into the rice mixture.  Pour the rice batter into the prepared springform pan.
7. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack. 
8. When the cake is cool, loosen the cake from the pan by running the blade of a knofe around the edges.  Then release the spingform band.
9. Dust the top of the cake with confectioners’ sugar.
10. Serve the cake at room temperature with optional dollop of whipped cream