Rice Bowls

The bowls of rice is a typical recipe for Portugal. They are very fluffy buns, with a texture very similar to that of muffins. Very simple to make and with very basic ingredients that we always have at home.

They are very good for both breakfast and snack. If you like very authentic recipes, we will not only show you the original recipe, but also the molds for the  rice bowls , so characteristic of this dish.

Rice Bowls Recipe

Ingredients:

• Rice flour (250 g).
• Pastry flour (100 g).
• 4 eggs (at room temperature).
• Milk (200 g).
• Sugar (300 g).
• Baking powder.
• Quality butter at room temperature. (Sunflower oil can also be used although the original recipe is with butter).
• Cinnamon or vanilla (optional)
• Lemon.
• Salt.
• Baking soda.

Utensils:

• Large bowl.
• Fork, rods, or a whisk.
• Small silicone molds.

• Oven.
• Strainer for sifting.

For the elaboration of the molds:

• Vegetable paper.
• Pair of scissors.
• Flour.
• Water.
• A closed can.

preparation:

1. Beat the butter together with the sugar.
2. Add the eggs one by one and keep beating until a foam forms.
3. Add the lemon zest and the juice of half a lemon.
4. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients (rice flour, pastry flour, yeast, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt).
5. Add the milk and beat. You can beat it by hand or with the rods of the electric mixer.
6. The dough has to be a little liquid.
7. Pour the dough over the buttered molds , if they are silicone better, since they never stick. You can also pour them into a muffin pan or paper muffin cups. You can also prepare the classic Portuguese bowling molds (we’ll show you how to make them later).
8. Let them rest for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
9. Put them in a preheated oven at 180ºC for 25 – 40 minutes.  Do not open the oven while they are done. It is best to control them by looking from time to time through the door.
10. If you want you can serve them sprinkled with icing sugar  and with a little strawberry jam.

Rice bowls in the thermomix

Ingredients:

The same as in the previous recipe.

Utensils:

The same as in the previous recipe, replace the rods with the thermomix.

preparation:

1. Put the sugar and  lemon zest at progressive speed 5-7-10 for about 20 seconds.
2. Add the milk, the eggs, butter at room temperature , and salt. Program 5 minutes at 3 speed.
3. Add the flours and yeast on speed 4, about 10 seconds.
4. Put them in the molds and bake them in a preheated oven at  180ºC for 25 to 40 minutes.

How to make rice bowl molds:

Authentic rice bowls are made in special molds so that they remain with the characteristic shape of the original recipe. They are very simple to do:

• Make some paper circles.
• Cut a few strips of paper that fit the size of the can, but have a piece left over.
• Glue the strip with a paste (natural glue that is made with flour and water) and the excess glue it to the base of the can forming a closure. Finally put a circle of glued paper on it. You already have your first bolus mold.

• On the Internet you can download ” bowling templates” they will be super authentic. Very Portuguese.
• Always pour the mixture to the middle  of the mold, keep in mind that then they rise.

Tips of interest:

• You can sprinkle the rice  balls with icing sugar once they are done and cold or you can sprinkle them with whole grain sugar before putting them in the oven, they will come out with a very rich crunchy layer.
• Rice flour is very easy to find, you can find it practically in any supermarket.
• If you want to continue enjoying these delicious buns, but  subtracting calories, you can add lighter ingredients: low-calorie vegetable butter, a natural sweetener, the best is stevia and also opt for  skimmed milk. We recommend that you do not use chemical sweeteners, they are not healthy at all.

• If you prefer, instead of pastry flour you can use pancake flour, it gives it a special flavor and fluffiness, although remember that it is not part of the original recipe.

You already have the recipe, so get the necessary ingredients and try cooking them at home and enjoy.