Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F), fan setting.

Don’t rinse the rice. Skipping this step preserves the starch, which thickens the pudding naturally.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the rice, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and heavy cream until smooth.

Pour the liquid into the dry mixture and stir in the raisins.
Taste raisins first — if overly sweet, reduce the quantity slightly.

Transfer everything into a large baking dish. Leave at least 2 cm (1 inch) of space at the top to prevent bubbling over.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour (or longer, depending on your oven).

Halfway through, stir gently with a wooden spoon. The rice should start absorbing the liquid and swell beautifully.

For a golden top, uncover during the last 20 minutes of baking. This allows a lovely caramelized layer to form — don’t skip it!

Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Chilling makes it even creamier and more flavorful.