Skip to main content

Crispy Rice Crackers

So much of recipe development is taking an ingredient and manipulating its texture without diluting the flavor. This is a good example. I have always liked the texture of puffed-rice cakes but not the flavor, which seems bland to me. So I’ve developed a cracker that highlights the nutty flavor of rice.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes about 15 pieces

Ingredients

1 cup (100g) arborio rice
5 cups (1,200g) water
Canola oil for frying
Coarse salt

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 150°F. Line a 9 x 12-inch rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat.

    Step 2

    Put the rice and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until the rice is very tender and starting to get mushy, about 20 minutes.

    Step 3

    Drain the rice and put it in a food processor. Pulse a few times to make a very coarse puree, but make sure it retains some texture.

    Step 4

    Scrape the rice out onto the Silpat and spread it out evenly, filling the baking sheet. Put it in the oven to dry completely, about 3 hours.

    Step 5

    Pour about 3 inches of oil into a large saucepan and heat to 365°F. Break off pieces of the dried rice and fry, a few pieces at a time, until crisp and golden, about 2 minutes. Drain and sprinkle with salt.

    Step 6

    These are best served right away, but you can store leftovers, once cool, in an airtight container, between layers of parchment, for up to 2 days.

Reprinted with permission from Dessert Fourplay: Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Copyright © 2008 by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Published by Crown Publishing. All Rights Reserved. Johnny Iuzzini,, executive pastry chef of the world-renowned Jean Georges restaurant in New York City, won the award for Outstanding Pastry Chef from the James Beard Foundation in 2006. This is his first book. Roy Finamore, a publishing veteran of more than thirty years, has worked with many bestselling cookbook authors. He is the author of three books: One Potato, Two Potato; Tasty, which won a James Beard Foundation award; and Fish Without a Doubt.__
Read More
Like potato pea chowder and green goddess grain bowls.
Thinly sliced and cooked hot and fast, pork tenderloin is the juicy, cook-quicking weeknight champion of this vegetable-heavy stir-fry.
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Chopped kimchi and soy sauce transform mellow tuna salad into your new favorite riff on the classic diner sandwich.
This lasagna soup delivers rich, baked-pasta flavor without an oven. Made with Italian sausage and spinach, it’s a fast, weeknight-friendly take on the classic.
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.
The most efficient method takes less than an hour, but you might not even need it.