Rice Pudding a la Fran's Restaurant

My mother was famous for her Rice Pudding at all of our family gatherings.  It was a recipe she clipped from the Toronto Star newspaper years and years ago and it is from Fran's Restaurant ... a diner that was also FAMOUS for their Rice Pudding.  If you are a Rice Pudding aficionado, this is the one for you!  Now I have eaten a lot of this dessert but only just tried my hand at making it a month ago for a do I was hosting.  It looked great until I moved the bowl.  It didn't set.  It tasted great even though it was runny.  Not good enough for my guests, so I threw it out, phoned my Sister who now has taken over the recipe from Mom, and tried again.  I am including this recipe (which is from my first cookbook Our Family Table) and I will give you some pointers.  In some cases, follow the directions exactly, in others, adjust.

Here is the page from my cookbook (along with my scribbled notes).

Before you start:
1.  ALWAYS use LONG GRAIN CONVERTED RICE.  I used Uncle Ben's.  My niece used another type of rice and it was a disaster.
2.  The recipe says simmer until rice is tender, not mushy.  That is what I did and removed it from the heat about 10 minutes earlier than the stated recipe time.  BIG MISTAKE.  When it says simmer for 30 minutes, then simmer for 30 minutes.
3.  I used 6-1/2 cups of milk.  My original try used 7 cups and it was runny.  If you need to add a bit more, then do so as the rice cooks.
4.  This recipe was from days of yore.  We didn't shy away from sugar or raw eggs.
          A:  I have reduced the sugar to 3/4 cup (not 1 cup).  If adding raisins or cranberries
                you may want to reduce it even more as these additions are sweet as well.  (I didn't add
                those)
          B:  I used 2 eggs and it gave the rice pudding a yellow tint.  My sister uses 1 egg only and
                the colouring is much bettering it turned out just fine.
          C:  Still on the egg subject, once I added the "egg mixture", I cooked it a wee bit on the stove.
                Raw eggs are not on the "safe list" any longer and I didn't want to give my guests
                salmonella.
5.  My mother never made the topping, so I don't either.  Don't really think you need it, but it is up to you.