Ok, I "winged" a small experimental batch today. It was good. Here's a recipe:
Risotto Rice Pudding
Yields: 2 servings
½ c Arborio rice
4 c half-and-half, in all
¼ c sugar
1/8 t cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
¼ c raisins, soaked in rum and drained
In a small saucepan with a lid, combine the rice and 1 c of the half-and-half. Bring to a boil. While that is heating, mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Once the liquid boils, add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir, constantly, about 5 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Add about 1 c more of the half-and-half, stir, cover, and bring to a boil. Remove the lid, and stir constantly while simmering. Repeat this until all the liquid is used. When you add the last of the half-and-half, add the raisins. Stir constantly while simmering until you have reached the consistency you desire. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature.
I actually didn't have enough half-and-half, and ran out of milk as well, so I only ended up using about 3 c of liquid. I also only used about 2 T of sugar, as I was expecting to just add the rum in along with the raisins. However, the raisins are my MIL's, and are REALLY old, so they stained up the rum really darkly. I didn't want my rice pudding to be a dark brown, so I just drained the raisins. I also added in to much cinnamon, so I reduced it down in this version. One thing to remember, when you reach the end of the cooking time, the sauce or "pudding" will thicken as it cools from the starch released by the rice. If you want a nice creamy pudding, don't cook it too long after you add the last amount of liquid.