This is not rice pudding. It’s better. Think silky baked custard meets crème brûlée, with a hint of orange zest that makes the whole thing taste expensive.
You get a thick, creamy, spoonable custard with a delicate, almost “rice-like” texture from blended cottage cheese, baked low and slow until it sets. Then we broil the top with a dusting of sweetener until it gets those gorgeous golden caramel spots like the pic. Warm or cold, it’s ridiculously good.
Ingredients (Makes 9 squares)
For the Custard:
2 cups full-fat cottage cheese, 4% milkfat
4 large eggs
½ cup heavy cream
⅓ cup powdered allulose, best for no gritty texture
2 tsp vanilla extract or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tbsp orange zest, fresh from 1 orange like the pic
¼ tsp salt
For the Brûlée Top:
2 tbsp powdered allulose or granular allulose
Optional: 1 tbsp butter, melted, for extra browning
Step-by-Step (Ready in 1 hour + chill)
Preheat: Oven to 325°F. Grease an 8×8 glass baking dish. Water bath optional but makes it silkier.
Blend: Add cottage cheese, eggs, heavy cream, allulose, vanilla, orange zest, and salt to a blender. Blend 60-90 sec until completely smooth. No cottage cheese lumps left.
Pour: Pour into prepared dish. Tap dish on counter to pop air bubbles.
Bake: 40-45 min until edges are set but center still has a slight jiggle. Don’t overbake or it gets rubbery.
Cool: Cool on counter 1 hour. Then fridge at least 3 hours or overnight. It sets up more as it chills.
Brûlée: Right before serving, blot top dry with paper towel. Sprinkle 2 tbsp allulose evenly over the top. Broil on high 1-2 min or use a kitchen torch until golden and caramelized like the pic. Watch it like a hawk. It burns fast.
Slice: Let the top set 5 min. Slice into 9 squares. Serve with a spoon like the pic.
Pro Tips to Level Up
Not Eggy: Low oven temp and blending well are key. If it tastes eggy, you baked too hot or too long. 325°F max.
Cottage Cheese Swap: Hate cottage cheese? Use full-fat ricotta. Blend the same way. Texture is slightly grainier but still amazing.
No Brûlée Torch: Broiler works. Or skip it and just dust with powdered sweetener + cinnamon. Still tastes incredible.
Orange Options: No orange? Use lemon zest for lemon custard. Or skip citrus and add ½ tsp almond extract for Italian vibes.
Water Bath: For ultra-silky texture, place your 8×8 dish inside a 9×13 pan. Fill 9×13 with hot water halfway up the sides of the 8×8. Bake same time. Prevents cracking.
Storage: Keep in fridge 5 days. The brûlée top softens after day 1. Re-torch individual slices before serving to re-crisp.
Macros per square: ∼160 cal | 13g fat | 3g net carbs | 9g protein
This is the dessert you make when you want to impress someone but also hit your protein goal.
