Serves 6.

• 1 ½ c. arborio rice
• 5 c. rice milk
• 1/3 c. date sugar
• 1/2 TBS Ceylon cinnamon
• 1 vanilla bean – scrape seeds and boil husks with milk
• 2 TBS coconut oil
• ¾ c. Brazil nuts, finely chopped
• ½ c. Medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped
• 25-50 ml Latte Macchiato liqueur from Vom Fass
• 2 oz Terr Amazon cacao nibs – brazil nuts and coffee (reserve about ¼ cup for top)
• 6 Ancho peppers
• 1 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 1/2 c. water
• ½ lb bittersweet chocolate (I used Callebaut)

In a medium saucepan, bring rice, rice milk, date sugar, and vanilla bean to a boil.  Once boiling, turn down heat to low and add cinnamon and coconut oil.  Stir frequently and simmer for about 25 minutes until liquid is absorbed.  Remove pot from heat, remove vanilla bean husks from pot, and stir in latte macchiato liquor, Brazil nuts and medjool dates.  Let cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, snip tops off of the ancho peppers.  Keep the bottom portions for stuffing and save the tops for another use.  Remove any seeds that remain inside.  Put the peppers in a saucepan with the brown sugar and water solution and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, lower the heat and reduce the mixture to a syrup consistency.  This should take about 20-25 min.  Carefully remove the anchos with tongs and set aside on wax paper.  Let syrup cool to room temperature.

The peppers are best served individually plated, so have your plates ready.  Drizzle a bit of syrup on the plates, if desired.  Stuff each pepper bottom with about ½ c. of rice pudding and plate with the open side down, so the bottom of the pepper is pointing up.

Heat chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly.  Once melted, drip chocolate over each pepper and top with about 1 TBS of cacao nib mixture.  Chill plated peppers in fridge until ready to serve, at which point you may add more syrup on top for an extra kick.