Bloom the vanilla. Split the vanilla pod down its length with the tip of a small knife, then scrape the black seeds into your saucepan. Drop the empty pod in too — it keeps giving flavour for the whole cook. Add the milk, cream, sugar, salt, cinnamon stick, and lemon zest. Turn the heat to medium-low and warm gently for 3–4 minutes. You're looking for faint steam rising from the surface and a sweet, floral vanilla scent filling the kitchen — do not let it bubble.

Add the rice. Tip in the pudding rice and stir once with your wooden spoon. The grains should settle into an even layer across the bottom of the pan, and the liquid should just cover them by a couple of centimetres. If it doesn't, splash in a little extra milk.

Simmer low and slow. Bring to the barest simmer — you want lazy, occasional bubbles breaking the surface, not a rolling boil. Cook uncovered for 30–35 minutes, stirring every 4–5 minutes with your spoon, scraping right into the corners of the pan where rice likes to catch. After about 10 minutes the liquid will turn cloudy and opaque; after 20 minutes it will start thickening to a thin porridge consistency.

Watch for the creamy stage. Around the 30-minute mark, the pudding should coat the back of your spoon in a velvety layer, and dragging the spoon across the base of the pan should leave a brief clear trail that slowly closes. The grains will be tender with just a whisper of bite in the centre. If it's still soupy, give it another 5 minutes; if it's too thick, loosen with a splash of milk.

Temper the egg yolks. Take the pan off the heat and remove the vanilla pod, cinnamon stick, and lemon zest. Ladle about 3 tablespoons of the hot rice mixture into your bowl of beaten yolks and whisk briskly — this warms them gradually so they don't scramble. Pour the tempered yolks back into the pan, stirring constantly.

Finish and rest. Return the pan to low heat for 2 minutes, stirring, until the pudding thickens slightly further — it should look glossy and pale gold. Stir in the butter and vanilla bean paste. Take it off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes; it will thicken noticeably as it rests, so don't panic if it seems loose straight away.

Serve warm. Spoon into bowls, grate over a little nutmeg, and scatter with toasted almonds and berries. A drizzle of honey on top is never a bad idea.