• Bring the milk, rice, cinnamon, and salt to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepot over medium-high heat.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer (uncovered) stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pot to ensure the rice isn't sticking, for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
• Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and add them to the pot, along with the scraped pod and 1 cup sugar. Simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove saucepot from the heat, take out the vanilla bean pod and transfer the rice pudding to an oven-safe dish (or dishes). Let cool 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle rice pudding with remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and place under broiler until sugar has caramelized and formed a hard shell (See Kelly's Notes). Watch the sugar carefully and rotate the dish (or dishes) to ensure even caramelization.
• Top with fresh berries and serve immediately.

Kelly's Notes:

• The pudding will thicken as it cools, so ideally it should be a bit thinner than you want when you stop cooking it.
• The easiest way to broil without burning yourself is to place the dish on a sheet tray so that you're rotating the larger sheet tray rather than a smaller dish.
• A thin, even layer of sugar atop the pudding is critical for perfect caramelization. After you sprinkle it atop the pudding, shake it around the dish and carefully pour out the excess.
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