Caramelized Rice Pudding with Pears and Raisins

Preheat oven to 300º.

Combine first 7 ingredients in a 3-quart casserole. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean; add seeds and bean to rice mixture. Place dish in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 300º, uncovered, 2 1/2 hours or until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Discard cinnamon stick and vanilla bean; stir in cream. Cool.

Combine pears and next 4 ingredients (pears through cinnamon stick) in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until tender. Discard cinnamon stick. Spoon about 1/3 cup pear mixture into the bottom of each of 8 (8-ounce) ramekins. Top each serving with about 1/3 cup rice pudding. Just before serving, sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over each serving. Holding a kitchen blow torch about 2 inches over rice pudding, heat the sugar, moving the torch back and forth, until sugar is completely melted and caramelized (about 45 seconds). Serve within 30 minutes. (Do not refrigerate or caramel will melt).