5 cups milk
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
1/4 cup dried black currants
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
One 12-ounce can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
In a 4-quart pot, heat the fresh milk over medium heat just until bubbles form around the edge. Once you add the rice, you must watch the pot very carefully to be sure the mixture does not burn or boil over. We cooked ours over medium heat, but if your pot is not as thick-bottomed as ours, or if your stove puts out more BTUs than ours does, you may need to reduce the heat to medium-low or even low. Stir in the rice, cover the pot, and cook, stirring gently every 5 minutes to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot, until the rice is tender and sticky, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the currants, raisins, and cranberries. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, sugar, vanilla, evaporated milk, and cinnamon just until well combined. Stir this mixture into the rice mixture until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Pour the batter into an 8-inch square baking pan or casserole dish and bake until the top is lightly browned and a knife inserted into the middle of the pudding comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
