Caramel pudding with crème fraîche, rhubarb and vanilla

1.For crème fraîche, stir together cream and buttermilk in a container and leave at room temperature until thick (24-40 hours, depending on climate; do not stir). Refrigerate until required. Makes about 400gm.

2.Preheat oven to 140C. Combine rice, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, rind and half the milk in a 2-litre baking dish and bake for 1 hour. Add remaining milk, stir, cook for a further hour, then stir in 150gm crème fraîche, and bake until golden and set (45 minutes to 1 hour). Cool slightly, then scatter with caster sugar in a thin even layer and caramelise with a blowtorch or under a hot grill.

3.For rhubarb, bring ingredients and 2 tbsp water to the boil in a saucepan, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender (10-12 minutes). Serve with warm rice pudding and remaining crème fraîche.