Ingredients

· 625 ml milk

· 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

· 1 cinnamon quill

· 125 ml thin cream

· 220 g caster sugar

· 150 g arborio rice

· 8 eggs, lightly beaten

· 60 ml white grape juice

· Grated zest of 1 lemon

· Creme fraiche

For cherries

· 400 g frozen cherries

· 110 g caster sugar

· 60 ml white grape juice

Method

To make the infused milk, place milk, vanilla pod and seeds, cinnamon, cream and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to simmer, then set aside to infuse. Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to boil. Add rice and cook until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water, then set aside. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a baking dish with butter. Strain infused milk into a bowl, reserving cinnamon quill and vanilla pod. Add egg, white grape juice, lemon zest, cooked rice and salt flakes to the infused milk and whisk to combine. Transfer rice custard to prepared dish, spread evenly. Bake until large bubbles form on the surface and the mixture has a slight wobble. Remove from oven and set aside for 30 minutes to cool slightly. For cherries, place cherries, sugar, white grape juice and reserved cinnamon quill and vanilla pod in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves, then cook until reduced by two-thirds. Set aside to cool slightly. Serve baked rice pudding warm or cold with cherries and creme fraiche.