Baked Austrian Rice Pudding ("reisauflauf")

One of my childhooddays favourites! And I still do like this very fragrant, aromatic sweet pie/tarte like dish. Use apples (you might want to add more sugar then) instead of bananas, mangos or raisins. Serve lukewarm with vanilla sauce as main dish or as dessert.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 8 slices

Ingredients

• 250  g short-grain rice (or risotto rice such as arborio)
• 1  liter milk (or replace 250ml by cream)
• 100  g brown sugar
• 4  small  ripe bananas
• 3  eggs (separate)
• 50  g butter
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon lemon zest
• 1  dash salt
• 1⁄2 vanilla bean
• 3  tablespoons brown sugar, for coating

Directions

1. Slice vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds.
2. Bring milk and if using cream to a boil and add rice and vanilla seeds.
3. Reduce heat, cover pot and let rice steam until soft (about 20minutes).
4. Separate eggs and beat egg whites with a dash of salt until firm.
5. Mix butter, sugar until creamy.
6. Add egg yolks, cinnamon and lemon zest. Mix again.
7. Cut bananas in 5mm slices/rounds.
8. Add rice and mix until "batter" is homogeneous.
9. Incorporate beaten egg whites slowly.
10. Butter a casserole or a cake pan and pour in half of the rice batter. Spread mixture evenly.
11. Cover rice batter with banana slices and cover with the other half of rice batter. Spread evenly.
12. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons brown sugar.
13. Let bake at 175°C for about 25-30 minutes until a golden brown crust has formed.
14. Enjoy!