Danish Rice Pudding (Risalamande) with Cherry Sauce

A traditional Danish Christmas dessert, Risalamande is a creamy rice pudding flavored with vanilla and almonds, served with a sweet cherry sauce. Hiding an almond in the pudding is a fun tradition; whoever finds it wins a prize!

Prep Time

20 minutes

Total Time

1 hour 50 minutes (plus chilling time)

Calories

655 kcal

Difficulty

Medium

Equipment

5 items

Cost

£1.78/serving

Season:

Meal Type:

Cuisine:

Main Ingredient:

Dietary:

Mood:

Ingredients

Servings

1cupArborio rice(Do not rinse)

£0.75

4cupsWhole milk

£1.20

1cupHeavy cream

£2.50

1teaspoonVanilla extract

£0.25

0.3cupGranulated sugar

£0.10

0.5cupBlanched almonds(Chopped, plus 1 whole almond)

£2.00

0.5teaspoonAlmond extract(Optional)

£0.15

To tasteCherry Sauce (see below)

500gramsPitted Cherries (frozen or fresh)(For cherry sauce)

£3.50

100gramsGranulated sugar(For cherry sauce, adjust to taste)

£0.10

1tablespoonLemon juice(For cherry sauce)

£0.05

1tablespoonCornstarch(For cherry sauce, mixed with 2 tbsp cold water)

£0.05

Total Cost

£10.65

£1.78 per serving

Instructions

1.
**Rice Pudding:** In a large saucepan, combine the rice and milk. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
2.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the rice is very soft and most of the milk has been absorbed. Stir frequently during the last 15 minutes to prevent sticking.
3.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract (if using), and sugar. Let cool completely.
4.
In a separate bowl, gently whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
5.
Fold the whipped cream into the cooled rice pudding along with the chopped almonds. Be careful not to overmix; you want to keep the pudding light and airy.
6.
Hide the whole almond in the pudding, making sure it's well concealed.
7.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld.
8.
**Cherry Sauce:** While the rice is cooking, make the cherry sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the cherries, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
9.
Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the cherries have softened and released their juices.
10.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to make a slurry. Pour the slurry into the simmering cherry mixture and stir constantly until the sauce thickens, about 1-2 minutes.
11.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
12.
Serve the chilled Risalamande with a generous spoonful of cherry sauce. Whoever finds the whole almond wins a prize!

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My Notes

Nutrition Information

Nutrition per serving (315g)

655 kcal / 2741 kJ

Carbs

69g

27% of RDA

Fat

38g

54% of RDA

Protein

11g

22% of RDA

Detailed Breakdown

Fibre

3 g

10% of RDA

Sugar

50 g

56% of RDA

Sodium

75 mg

3% of RDA

Saturated Fat

22 g

110% of RDA

Chef's Tips

For a smoother pudding, use a smaller grain rice like pudding rice.

Don't overcook the rice, or it will become mushy.

Adjust the amount of sugar in both the rice pudding and cherry sauce to your liking.

For a more intense almond flavor, toast the chopped almonds before adding them to the pudding.

Serve immediately after chilling for the best texture.

If the rice pudding seems too thick after chilling, stir in a splash of milk or cream to loosen it up.

Feel free to add a splash of kirsch to the cherry sauce for an extra layer of flavor.

The prize for finding the almond is traditionally a marzipan pig, but you can choose any small gift you like!

Cooking Equipment

Large saucepan

Small saucepan

Mixing bowl

Whisk

Spatula

Wine Pairings

No wine pairing suggestions available for this recipe.

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