Creamy Vanilla Rice Pudding with Peaches

Peaches are not in season, I know... at least not on the northern hemisphere. But as you remember, I've been emptying my blog draft folder since my camera was being repaired (and it got home safely only yesterday evening) and I couldn't photograph any new dishes I've been preparing (at least non in a decent manner, considering the compact camera I have).
And so I came upon these cheerful, sunny pictures. And I remembered how good this tasted when I made it. And I thought it would be a pity not to share the recipe only because that one time I photographed it, the pudding was topped with peaches that are way out of season at this point.
And not only. I was suddenly overtaken by the idea that I had to have some rice pudding. And rushed to make some. Two servings that I made dissappeared while still warm. With the generous help of my 15-month-old boy. We didn't have time to cook any fruit to top it with. We couldn't even wait to get some homemade jam from the cellar either. But I did put both lemon and orange zest in and it smelled and tasted wonderful.
And if you eat it when it's still warm, you'll enjoy its incredible creaminess more than when it gets completely cold or after it's been refrigerated.
I think we both needed this caress yesterday. The little one, not feeling so well and me slightly depressed for the ugly weather outside. And he continued reaching for the empty glass... just didn't want to let it go even after it was empty. He liked it for sure ;)
Peaches or not, give this pudding a go, try it with some other fresh fruit or jam or compote.

There's one more thing. It's Friday today, and I'd like to participate in Gluten Free (Fri)Day organized by Gluten Free Travel&Living with this recipe.

Creamy Vanilla Rice Pudding with Peaches
(recipe adapted from here)

Rice pudding:
* 500 ml milk
* 500 ml heavy cream
* 1 vanilla bean
* 75 g sugar
* 130 g rice
* finely grated zest of an organic lemon or orange (or both)

Combine milk, heavy cream, sugar, scraped vanilla seeds + empty vanilla bean and the grated lemon/orange zest in a pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the rice and cook for 30-40 minutes or until the rice is cooked and creamy stirring often.
Remove the vanilla bean and distribute the pudding in 4 serving glasses or jars.
Top with some cooked peaches or jam or fruit compote before serving.

Steam cooked peaches:
* 300 g peeled and chopped peaches
* 40 g sugar
* 20 g butter
*1/2 vanilla bean

Combine peaches with sugar, butter and the vanilla seeds + empty vanilla bean in a sauce pan.
Seal the sauce pan tightly with a piece of aluminium foil.
Cook the peaches on low heat for 15 minutes without opening.
Let them cool completely and than mash with a fork or leave the pieces whole if you prefer.
This quantity is sufficient for 4 servings of pudding.
You can try cooking other types of fruit this way depending on what's in season. I've tried strawberries and apricots, for example. But I'd love to try pears or apples adding some cinnamon or ginger.

Budino di riso alla vaniglia con pesche

* 500 ml di latte
* 500 ml di panna fresca
* 1 baccello di vaniglia
* 75 g di zucchero
* 130 g di riso
* scorza finemente grattugiata di un limone o arancia non trattati 

Mettete insieme il latte, la panna, lo zucchero, i semi e il baccello vuoto di vaniglia in un pentolino.
Portate a bollore, abbassate la fiamma e lasciate sobbollire per 10 minuti. Aggiungete il riso e continuate la cottura per circa 30-40 minuti o finché il riso non risulta cotto e cremoso. Mescolate spesso per evitare che il riso si attacchi sul fondo.
Distribuite il budino in 4 bicchieri o coppette e lasciatelo raffreddare a temperatura ambiente.
Prima di servirlo completate i bicchieri con le pesche cotte al vapore (o altra frutta),  marmellata o composta di frutta a piacere.

Pesche cotte al vapore:
* 300 g di pesche sbucciate e tagliate a pezzettini
* 40 g di zucchero
* 20 g di burro
*1/2 baccello di vaniglia

Mescolate le pesche con lo zucchero, il burro e semi + baccello vuoto di vaniglia in un pentolino.
Chiudete bene con un pezzo di alluminio e cuocete a fuoco basso per 15 minuti senza mai aprire.
Lasciatele poi raffreddare completamente, togliete il baccello di vaniglia e volendo schiacciate le pesche con una forchetta.
Questa quantità è sufficiente per 4 porzioni di budino.
Al posto delle pesche potete provare a cuocere nello stesso modo altra frutta di stagione. Io ho provato con le fragole e albicocche, ma vorrei provare anche con le mele e pere aggiungendo anche un po' di cannella o zenzero.

Kremasti puding od riže s vanilijom i breskvama

* 500 ml mlijeka
* 500 ml slatkog vrhnja
* 1 mahuna vanilije
* 75 g šećera
* 130 g riže
* korica neprskanog limuna ili naranče (ili oboje)

Pomiješajte mlijeko, slatko vrhnje, šećer, sastrugane sjemenke vanilije i sitno naribanu koricu limuna i kuhajte na laganoj vatri 10 minuta. Dodajte rižu i kuhajte oko 40 minuta miješajući često dok riža nije kuhana i postane kremasta. Izvaditi mahunu vanilije.
Ulijte puding u čaše ili zdjelice i ostavite da se prohladi na sobnoj temperaturi.
Stavite odozgor kuhane breskve ili po želji neki pekmez, ukuhano voće ili slično.

Kuhane breskve:
* 300 g oguljenih i nascjeckanih bresaka
* 40 g šećera
* 20 g maslaca
*1/2 mahune vanilije

Breskve pomiješati s šećerom, maslacem i vanilijom (nastrugane sjemenke i prazni komadići mahune) staviti u manju posudu za kuhanje koju čvrsto pokriti aluminijskom folijom, i staviti kuhati na laganoj vatri 15 minuta, bez otvaranja. Ostaviti da se potpuno ohladi, izvaditi mahunu vanilije, po želji malo vilicom smrviti u kašu ili ostaviti cijele komadiće.
Ova je količina dovoljna za 4 porcije pudinga
Osim breskve možete probati na ovaj način i drugo voće. Ja sam kuhala jagode i marelice, a voljela bih probati jabuke ili kruške s dodatkom cimeta ili đumbira.