Ingredients

• 4½ cups whole milk
  
• 1½ cups water
  
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
  
• 1 cinnamon stick (3 to 4 inches long)
  
• 1 cup Arborio rice (or Boomba rice, commonly used for paella)
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  
• ⅔ cup golden raisins (optional)
  

• 1 cinnamon stick, grated — or ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Place the milk, water, sugar, cinnamon stick, and rice into a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Give everything a good stir to blend.
   Ingredients added: 4½ cups whole milk, 1½ cups water, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 cup Arborio rice
2. Warm the mixture over medium-high heat until it reaches a vigorous simmer just shy of boiling, stirring frequently. Lower the heat enough to keep a steady simmer and let it cook, stirring often, for 35 to 45 minutes. The rice should become tender, and the mixture will resemble loose oatmeal; it will continue to thicken as it cools.
3. Take the pan off the heat and remove the cinnamon stick. Stir in the vanilla bean paste or extract, along with the golden raisins if you choose to add them.
   Ingredients added: 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, ⅔ cup golden raisins
4. Spoon the pudding into individual dishes or a larger container. Enjoy it slightly warm, or let it cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for up to a day before serving.
5. Finish with freshly grated cinnamon or a light dusting of ground cinnamon. Serve warm or chilled.
   Garnish: 1 cinnamon stick

For deeper vanilla flavor, you can use half of a vanilla bean. Split it, scrape the seeds into the pan when adding the cinnamon stick, and drop the pod into the pot as well.