Riz au lait is a traditional dessert based on rice. It's made by slowly cooking rice with sugar, vanilla and milk until the mixture thickens and the rice is fully cooked. Some recipes date back as far as the 14th century, when the dish was made with broth or almond milk.

Riz au lait was also often served to the aristocracy, and it was seasoned with sugar and saffron, both very rare and expensive at the time. From the 16th century onwards, riz au lait became more common among peasants, but the dish was reserved for holidays.

Interestingly, there is a more elaborate version of the dish called riz a l'imperatrice - it's made with the addition of alcohol and candied fruit.