Stovetop Rice Pudding

Ingredients
2 cups water
1 cup medium-grain rice (preferred; long-grain works, too)
1/4 tsp table salt
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
2/3 cup (4 2/3 oz) sugar
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in the rice and salt, cover, and simmer over low heat, stirring once or twice, until the water is almost fully absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Stir in the milk, half-and-half, and sugar. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, uncovered and stirring frequently, until the mixture starts to thicken, about 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, stirring every couple of minutes to prevent sticking and scorching, until a spoon is just able to stand up in the pudding, about 15 minutes longer.
3.  Remove from the heat and stir in the raisins, vanilla,  and cinnamon. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. (To store, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding and refrigerate for up to 2 days. If serving at room temperature or chilled, stir in up to 1 cup warm milk, 2 tablespoons at a time, as need to loosen before serving.)

Notes: Brittany's family had a tradition of having rice pudding for breakfast on Christmas morning. It is a tradition that Brittany has continued in our family. Instead of a half cup of raisins, only a single raisin is added to the pudding. Then, whoever finds the raisin gets to be the first person to open a present. This is a new recipe for rice pudding that Brittany tried out this year. I think it turned out to be tasty, but since we only have it once a year it is difficult for me to compare it to any other recipes.

Source: The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001-2016 pg 780