White Chocolate Champorado With Chopped Pecans

When I was a kid, I used to dream of a White Christmas...but being in the Philippines, it was very far from reality that time. Finally in 2009, that dream came true here in Texas! Who would have thought that there could be a White Christmas in Dallas? It was the first since 1926...and it was so awesome that I got to experience it! Christmas Eve started with widespread rain, but as the temperature fell, white flakes of snow began falling, and on the morning of December 25, the ground was covered with 3 inches of snow. It was so beautiful to look at! I was so excited to be able to witness a White Christmas for the first time...truly a dream come true! 

But while I was being mesmerized by the beauty of snow, I was thinking of my late mom, who like me, had always wanted to experience a White Christmas. I was really wishing that she was there with me. But she wasn't, and all I could do was to content myself with those wonderful memories of the Christmases we shared together. And just like what I usually do when I'm missing my mother, I cooked something that reminds me of her. It was something that she used to cook for Christmas Day breakfast, and has been my favorite comfort food since my childhood days. It is called Champorado which refers to a chocolate rice porridge. It was adapted from the Spanish Champurrado which is a chocolate-based atole. Filipinos made their own version by adding rice to it. The Filipino Champorado (Tsampurado) is traditionally made by boiling glutinous rice with tabliya (a locally-produced chocolate), which gives it a  distinctly brown color. Served with milk and sugar, it is usually eaten for breakfast, but it is good as dessert or snack as well. It can be served hot or cold. But during cold weather, it is of course best to serve it hot.

When I received the email from Stephanie of Very Good Recipes about the White Christmas Challenge she organized, I knew I have to share the very comforting and filling dish that I made to keep me and my family warm during our first White Christmas. But to make it more fitted for the theme, I thought of sharing with you my white chocolate version of it instead of the traditional cocoa version which is brown in color.

White Chocolate Champorado is equally good as the original version. With chopped pecans, my family and I find it even better. But don't worry, I will share with you the traditional recipe one of these days. :) For now, enjoy this twist on the Filipino Champorado! Its white color can definitely turn your cold gloomy days into bright and delightful ones!!! 

Ingredients:

Serves 4-6

• 1 cup glutinous rice(malagkit), washed and drained
• 6 cups water
• 1 cup white chocolate morsels and a few pieces for topping
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 4 Tbsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• ½ cup chopped roasted pecans
• chocolate wafer sticks and pretzels for garnish
• chocolate syrup for drizzling (optional)

Procedure:

1. In a pot over medium heat, bring water and rice to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium low when it begins to simmer and cook until rice is soft. Stir often to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

2. Add white chocolate morsels, vanilla extract, sugar and salt. Mix well and continue cooking until chocolate morsels are melted. Remove from heat. Add chopped pecans. Mix well.

 

3. Transfer champorado in individual serving bowls. Garnish with wafer sticks, pretzels and some chocolate morsels.

4. Serve hot. Have condensed milk ready so you can adjust sweetness to your liking. You can have it plain like this...

or you can drizzle some chocolate syrup on it...

 

No matter how you eat it, I'm sure you'll be satisfied and comforted! ;)

This is part of the White Christmas Challenge on Very Good Recipes. 
Don't forget to check it out!!! You might want to share your recipe too...