Viva Horchata!

I love me some horchata.  I figured it should be rather easy to make, but hadn't pursued it much - but when I came across these two recipes I knew it was meant to be.  You too can make horchata!  Yee haw!

HORCHATA WITH CINNAMON AND VANILLA

Agua de Arroz y Canela

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

2 cups long or extra-long white rice

3 cups hot water

1 cinnamon stick, (ceylon or true cinnamon, if you can)

1 tbsp vanilla extract

4 cups milk

1 1/4 cup sugar

Ground cinnamon to sprinkle on top, optional

TO PREPARE

Place the rice in a bowl and cover with hot water.  Roughly crumble a piece of True cinnamon into the rice mix (Cassia will not let you break it...) and let is all sit and rest anywhere from 2 to 8 hours outside of the refrigerator.

Place half of the rice mixture in the blender with half of the milk and vanilla and blend until smooth, then strain into a pitcher or container (if using Cassia cinnamon, remove it).  Place the other half of the rice mixture in the blender with the remaining milk and the sugar, pure until smooth and strain into the same pitcher or container.

Stir well and serve over ice cubes, or place in the refrigerator until it is cold.  Serve with more ice cubes to your liking, and sprinkle some ground cinnamon on top if you wish.

Horchata

1 cup uncooked white long-grain rice

5 cups water1/2 cup milk (1 1/2 T. powdered milk + 1/2 Water)

1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2/3 cup white sugar

Pour the rice and water into the bowl of a blender; blend until the rice just begins to break up, about 1 minute. Let rice and water stand at room temperature for a minimum of 3 hours. Strain the rice water into a pitcher and discard the rice. Stir the milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar into the rice water. Chill and stir before serving over ice.