Add rice pudding ingredients (rice, water, vanilla pod, sugar, lemon peel, almonds, salt) to a pan without the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the peel, add the milk, then bare simmer for 30-40 minutes until thick.
Cover the surface with cling film and cool completely in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Make the cherry sauce by combining cherries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, and water in a small pan. Simmer until cherries begin to break down.
Make a cornflour slurry and add slowly while stirring on low heat to thicken to desired texture.
Roughly chop the almonds. Whip the cream until it starts to thicken, add sugar, and finish whipping until thick.
Once fully cooled, combine the rice pudding with the almonds and whipped cream.
Serve with warmed cherry sauce and optionally top with toasted chopped almonds.
