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ARROZ CON LECHE

MEXICAN RICE PUDDING

SERVES 6 TO 8

1 cup long-grain white rice

One 3-inch-long cinnamon stick

¼ teaspoon salt

4 cups whole milk

1 cup sugar

5 large egg yolks

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup raisins

There’s a song I sang as a child with the words: “Arroz con leche, me quiero casar con una senorita que sepa planchar,” which means: “Rice pudding, I want to marry a lady who knows how to iron.” I do not know how to iron, but I think my Mexican rice pudding more than compensates for my lack of certain domestic skills. You’ve got three delectable choices here: Serve this warm, as is done traditionally; serve it cold; or, once it is cold, churn it in an ice cream maker for a scrumptious ice cream, scooped and served on a sugar cone.

Place the rice in a bowl and add hot water to cover. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Then drain the rice, discarding the soaking liquid.

Combine 2 cups water with the rice, cinnamon stick, and salt in a medium-size heavy saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil; then reduce the heat to low, and cover the pan. Simmer for 18 minutes, or until the mixture is dry. Add the milk and sugar and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken.

Whisk together the egg yolks and vanilla in a small bowl. Carefully remove ½ cup of the hot liquid from the rice mixture and whisk it into the egg yolk mixture. Whisk the egg yolk mixture back into the rice in the pan. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, over low heat for 3 minutes, or until the mixture coats the back of the spoon. Do not boil. Stir in the raisins. Cool the mixture slightly. Serve warm, or cover and refrigerate overnight and serve chilled.

FRESH GUAVA LAYER CAKE

SERVES 12 TO 16

CAKE LAYERS

Nonstick cooking spray

3 cups cake flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

6 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2½ cups granulated sugar

⅔ cup buttermilk

GUAVA FILLING

2 pounds fresh ripe guavas (each about the size of a golf ball), brown tops removed

1¼ cups granulated sugar

4 ounces cream cheese

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

2¼ cups powdered sugar

2 cups chopped unsalted pistachios

Not only is this giant layer cake a stunner, it is absolutely delicious with its creamy guava filling and fluffy buttercream frosting. We had a guava tree in my mom’s garden, and when the fruit was in season, we ate our share of guava cakes, guava tarts, guava water, and pretty much guava anything. This is my homage to my mom’s guava tree.

To make the cake layers, position one rack in the top third and another rack in the bottom third of the oven, and preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly spray three 9-inch nonstick cake pans with nonstick cooking spray.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in another bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Gradually add the granulated sugar, beating until well blended. Add the egg mixture in three additions, beating until well blended after each addition. Then beat in the flour mixture in three additions alternately with the buttermilk, scraping down the inside of the bowl occasionally.

Divide the batter among the prepared cake pans. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the layers are puffed and a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean. Transfer to wire racks and let the cake layers cool completely in the pans. Invert the cakes onto the racks. (The cake layers can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store at room temperature.)

To make the guava filling, combine the guavas, ¾ cup water, and the granulated sugar in a medium-size heavy saucepan set over medium heat. Cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer,