Hungarian Baked Rice Pudding – Rizskoch (Rizsfelfújt)

Traditional Hungarian rizskoch — fluffy baked rice pudding served with powdered sugar and a generous spoonful of fruit preserves.

Rizskoch, also known as rizsfelfújt, is a classic Hungarian baked rice pudding made with creamy vanilla rice, eggs and fresh lemon zest. Light and fluffy inside with a golden top, it’s traditionally served with powdered sugar and apricot jam.

If you grew up Hungarian, there’s a good chance rizskoch brings back childhood memories. ❤️

This is one of those wonderfully old-fashioned Hungarian dishes that sits somewhere between a dessert and a second course. Traditionally, a filling soup might be served first, followed by a warm sweet dish such as rizskoch.

And yes — dessert as the main event. Hungarians understood life. 😂🇭🇺

The secret to a good rizskoch is the texture. It shouldn't be dry, but it shouldn't be runny either. The inside should remain soft, creamy and almost custardy, while the top becomes beautifully golden in the oven.

Serve it warm with a dusting of powdered sugar and a generous spoonful of apricot jam. For me, that's the perfect combination.

Ingredients

Serves 4–6

• 250 g (about 1¼ cups) short-grain rice

• Pinch of salt

• 500 ml (2 cups) milk

• 250 ml (1 cup) water

• 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar, divided

• Seeds of 1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Finely grated zest of 1 untreated lemon

• 50 g (3½ tbsp) butter

• 5 large eggs

For serving

• Powdered sugar

• Apricot jam

How to Make Hungarian Rizskoch

1. Cook the rice

Rinse the rice thoroughly.

Place it in a saucepan with the milk, water and a pinch of salt.

Cook over low heat for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. As the rice thickens toward the end of cooking, stir more frequently to prevent it from sticking or burning.

The rice should become very soft and creamy.

2. Add the flavourings

Once the rice is cooked, stir in:

• 50 g of the sugar

• vanilla

• grated lemon zest

• butter

Mix until the butter has completely melted.

Set the rice mixture aside and allow it to cool.

This step is important because you don't want to add the eggs to piping-hot rice.

3. Prepare the eggs

Separate the eggs.

Beat the egg yolks with the remaining 100 g sugar until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy.

Once the rice has cooled, stir the egg-yolk mixture into it.

4. Whip the egg whites

In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.

Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the rice mixture.

Don't vigorously stir them in — folding preserves the air you've incorporated into the whites, which gives rizskoch its characteristic light, fluffy texture.

5. Prepare the baking dish

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 390°F.

Butter a baking dish approximately 20 × 25 cm / 8 × 10 inches.

Pour in the rice mixture and gently smooth the top.

6. Bake

Bake for approximately 35 minutes, until the top is beautifully golden.

If the top starts browning too quickly, loosely cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and continue baking.

The center should be set but remain soft.

Soft, fluffy and creamy inside with a beautifully golden top — exactly how homemade Hungarian rizskoch should be.

How to Serve Rizskoch

Allow it to rest for a few minutes before cutting it into squares.

Serve warm or completely cooled, lightly dusted with powdered sugar.

And then comes the important part:

Apricot jam. ❤️

A spoonful of slightly tart apricot jam with the sweet, vanilla-lemon rice pudding is such a classic combination.

You can warm the jam slightly if you prefer it more sauce-like.

What Does Rizskoch Taste Like?

If you've never tried it, imagine something somewhere between rice pudding, soufflé and a very soft cake.

Cooking the rice in milk gives it creaminess, while whipped egg whites make the baked pudding surprisingly light. Vanilla and lemon zest give it that unmistakable old-fashioned Central European dessert flavour.

It's sweet, but not overwhelmingly so — especially when served with slightly tart apricot jam.

Anita's Tips 💡

Use short-grain rice. It gives you a creamier texture than long-grain varieties.

Let the rice cool before adding the eggs. Otherwise, you risk cooking the eggs prematurely.

Don't skip whipping the egg whites. This is what transforms ordinary rice pudding into rizsfelfújt — literally “rice soufflé.”

Fold gently. You want to preserve as much air as possible.

Don't overbake it. A good rizskoch should remain soft and creamy inside rather than becoming dry.

And don't be shy with the apricot jam. 😂

Can You Make Rizskoch Ahead of Time?

Yes. Rizskoch can be eaten warm, at room temperature or cold.

Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can eat them cold or gently reheat individual portions.

Personally, I think there's something especially comforting about a slightly warm piece with apricot jam. ❤️

A Little Piece of Hungarian Food Culture

One thing that sometimes surprises people outside Hungary is that traditional Hungarian meals don't always follow the familiar main course → dessert structure.

A hearty soup could be followed by something sweet and filling — perhaps pancakes, sweet noodles, dumplings or a dish like rizskoch.

That's part of what I love about sharing Hungarian recipes here. They're not just recipes; they're little pieces of the food culture many of us grew up with.

So if you've never eaten baked rice pudding Hungarian-style, give this one a try.

And if you grew up eating rizskoch...

Powdered sugar only, or apricot jam? 😃

More From My Hungarian Kitchen ❤️

If you enjoyed this traditional Hungarian rizskoch, explore more of my Hungarian recipes, childhood favourites and home-style dishes here on the website.

You can also follow along on my social media and YouTube, where I share the videos behind many of these recipes.

New recipes are added regularly — so subscribe and come back to see what's cooking next in my Hungarian kitchen. ❤️