Desserts, Other, Recipes

Mystery Dish: Champorado [Filipino Chocolate Rice Pudding]

Sarah

When I saw the ingredients for the January edition of Mystery Dish, the first thing I thought was “fancy, fancy.” Allie from Baking a Moment gave us a list of the following to work with: champagne, strawberries, oranges, beets, filet mignon, lobster, cream, chocolate, rosewater, and rice. Though the list at first glance is fancy, my first thought was comfort food. It must be the cold weather.

Champorado [Filipino Chocolate Rice Pudding] | thepajamachef.com

As I was thinking about what to make, I noticed rice sitting all lonely at the end of the list. I’ve never had rice pudding, so I looked up a few recipes and decided to give it a whirl. Ben is a HUGE rice addict, so we always have tons of rice in the pantry. Instead of the milky, raisin-filled, old-person-stereotype rice pudding, I wanted to use chocolate to fancify things a bit. As I researched chocolate rice pudding, I decided to take an international spin on things and make an intriguing Filipino chocolate rice pudding called Champorado. When I found out it is traditionally served for breakfast, I was sold. Chocolate for breakfast? Yes, please!

Champorado [Filipino Chocolate Rice Pudding] | thepajamachef.com

This pudding is warm, comforting, and chocolately–though it’s surprisingly NOT rich. Some kinds of oatmeal I make feel richer than this is. The recipe called for bittersweet chocolate, which certainly helps create an uber chocolate flavor without any feelings of heaviness or overindulgence. I also added a little bit of orange zest to bring a citrus zing to the dish. Chocolate and orange together is absolutely DIVINE! Another way this dish stays a lighter is the pairing. You might have noticed that bacon on my plate.

Champorado [Filipino Chocolate Rice Pudding] | thepajamachef.com

Traditionally, Champorado is served with hot, buttered rolls and salted dried fish, creating that perfect blend of salty sweet balance in a meal. Since I was fresh out of salted dried fish [aka I’ve never eaten salted dried fish before] bacon was my natural alternative. 🙂

Champorado [Filipino Chocolate Rice Pudding] | thepajamachef.com

Each bite of this pudding is comforting and delightful. It’s so versatile and can be served hot, lukewarm, or cold. Though I highly recommend it for breakfast, I think it would make a fun dessert too. I definitely will be trying more rice puddings in the future now that I know they aren’t just for old people! 🙂 Thanks, Allie and Mystery Dish for broadening my horizons once again. Scroll down for more recipes from this month’s Mystery Dish! 🙂

one year ago: Buffalo Pretzels
two years ago: Cranberry Feta Pinwheels
three years ago: Baked Rigatoni with Bechamel Sauce

Champorado [Filipino Chocolate Rice Pudding] [from Chow]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup rice [short grain white sticky rice recommended, but I used long-grain white rice and it was fine]
  • 5 cups water
  • 6 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate [I used a 70% cacao variety from Scharffen Berger]
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • zest of one orange
  • milk [regular, evaporated, sweetened condensed], for serving if desired

Directions:

Rinse rice in a fine gauge mesh strainer under running water for 1-2 minutes, until water runs clear. Then place in a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring often, until rice is tender, much of the water is absorbed, and mixture thickens, about 15-20 minutes.

Melt chocolate in the microwave in 15 second increments, stirring and checking often to ensure chocolate does not burn. A double boiler would be another option too.

When rice has thickened, add chocolate, sugar, and orange zest to pot and stir together. Simmer for another 5 minutes until sugar has dissolved.

Remove from heat and serve as desired–immediately [hot], cooled off the heat for 30-45 minutes [lukewarm], or cooled off the heat, then refrigerated [cold]. Serve with milk as desired.

Time: 30 minutes.
Yield: 6 servings.

Mystery Dish | thepajamachef.com

1. Carmelitas by Pass the Cocoa
2. Strawberry Champagne Cupcake Trifles by The Dessert Chronicles
3. Strawberry Orange Stuffed French Toast by I Dig Pinterest
4. Strawberry Orange Ice Cream with Chocolate Chips by Joyful Healthy Eats
5. Chocolate Strawberry Pudding by See Hubby Cook
6. Chocolate Doughnuts with Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing by Chez CateyLou
7. Champorado (Filipino Chocolate Rice Pudding) by The Pajama Chef
8. Whole Wheat Orange Scones with Vanilla Cream Glaze by The Well Floured Kitchen
9. Chocolate-Filled Cream Puffs with Strawberry Sauce by Culinary Couture
10. Red Velvet Beet Cupcakes by Yummy Healthy Easy
11. Chocolate Covered Strawberry Milkshake by I Want Crazy
12. Strawberry Rose Chocolate Verrines by Baking a Moment

Published by Sarah

Librarian. Runner. Wife. Jesus follower. Loves reading, Indiana basketball, trying new recipes, coffee, cuddling with my kitties, cozy scarves, and cardigans.

30 thoughts on “Mystery Dish: Champorado [Filipino Chocolate Rice Pudding]”

  1. Interesting!! I’ve never heard of Champorado before (shocking, since I have a ton of first and second gen Filipino friends) but it looks and sounds good! Granted, I’d stick with the bacon over dried salted fish too. But bacon goes with anything, right? On my must try list!

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  3. Thank you Sarah. Have a Super Wednesday!

    >________________________________ > From: The Pajama Chef >To: lizzm@att.net >Sent: Wednesday, January 29, 2014 6:01 AM >Subject: [New post] Mystery Dish: Champorado [Filipino Chocolate Rice Pudding] > > > WordPress.com >Sarah posted: “When I saw the ingredients for the January edition of Mystery Dish, the first thing I thought was “fancy, fancy.” Allie from Baking a Momentgave us a list of the following to work with: champagne, strawberries, oranges, beets, filet mignon, lobster, crea” >

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  4. Hey Pajama Chef: Keep up the great writing! I visited today with an IU grad who was staying at the Garden Inn. Love, Dad

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  6. I love that you used rice! I think you are the only one from the group. Isn’t it so comforting? I love a bowl of warm rice pudding at this time of year. And your chocolate version sounds amazing with the orange zest on top! So fun to hear about the foods from other cultures too. Love this fancy breakfast for Valentines morning 😉

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  11. It sounds lovely. I don’t think I could manage it with bacon though. Although if it was a choice between that and salted dried fish I’d have to go for it!

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  12. Thank you for introducing me to this new dish!! Chocolate for breakfast?! Amazing! What a great way to use the Mystery Dish ingredients – you really took the challenge to a new level trying something so new!

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  13. Thank you for posting this!! My Mom would make this for me & my sister when we were young, brings back good memories. It’s wonderful with the Filipino roll, pan de sal.

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