Riz l’Impératrice

In keeping with its royal name, this is probably the finest and most elegant of all rice puddings. Rice in the Style of the Empress is said to have been inspired by Empress Eugénie, the Spanish wife of Napoleon III. You don’t see this one-time champion much anymore; I suppose it has had to yield to the modern, “high-tech,” elaborately garnished desserts popular in most restaurants today. If you’re looking for a classic rice dessert, think of this old aristocrat.