RICE PUDDING (STOVE TOP)

This Rice Pudding is so good, creamy, thick and rich. I have another in this blog that's baked in the oven which develops its own thin custard on top if you don't use the wrong rice that absorbs all the milk). Cream will always make the pudding richer tasting.
You have to take your time when cooking rice pudding on the stove-top, follow all the directions to a Tee, and know your stove-top enough to be able to tell if the pudding is getting too hot or not hot enough. You may need to be more of an experienced cook to have success with rice pudding. It take time to get the right recipe. I've used brown rice on some of the recipes, the absorbency of liquid is different with each brand of rice. Don't give up till you find your nich.

Don't substitute the half and half in this recipe. If you don't want to use rum, use some extra vanilla or some rum flavoring.
Use arborio rice for this pudding. Most any rice will do, but arborio makes that thick starchy that you want for rice pudding. Basmati is good and so is sushi rice, but it is a bit less starchy than arborio.
The directions say to use a heavy-bottomed saucepan. That is the very best kind of pan to use for rice pudding. If you don't have one, try to get one! Or, wait to get one, then make it carefully and don't overheat the pan, or the rice pudding will scorch.
Read the instructions carefully before you try to make the pudding, get your ingredients out, all measured and ready to go.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoons dark rum
3/4 cup arborio rice or use basmati
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
5 cups half-and-half, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1 extra-large egg, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

In a small bowl, combine the raisins (and rum or vanilla add last minute). Set aside.

Combine the rice and salt with 1 1/2 cups water in a medium heavy-bottomed stainless steel saucepan. Bring it to a boil, stir once, and simmer, covered, on the lowest heat for 8 to 9 minutes, until most of the water is absorbed.
Stir frequently during this process. If your stove-top is very hot, pull the pan off the burner about half way.

Stir in 4 cups of half-and-half and sugar and bring to a boil. Lower the heat just a bit and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes, until the rice is very soft.
Stir often, especially toward the end of the cooking when the ingredients are getting thick. Add the last cup of half and half, stir well. Slowly stir in the beaten egg and continue to cook for 1 minute. (With arborio or sushi rice, you may think its thick enough that you don't need the egg. However, the egg lends a richness to the pudding that you don't want to omit).Turn off the heat and add the remaining cup of half-and-half, the vanilla, and the raisins with any remaining rum.

Stir the pudding well and pour into a bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Serve warm or chilled.
http://my-lettersfromhome.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html (Low Fat?)

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