Risalamande (Danish rice pudding with almonds)
Ingredients
Method
- Bring the water to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the rice and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.
- Add the milk, scraped vanilla pod and salt. Simmer 35 to 40 minutes over very low heat, stirring often, until you get a thick, creamy rice pudding.
- Remove the vanilla pod, pour the rice into a bowl, cover directly on the surface and let cool completely in the fridge (at least 3 hours or overnight).
- Roughly chop the blanched almonds. Stir them into the cold rice with the sugar.
- Whip the well-chilled cream to soft peaks, then gently fold it into the rice in two additions with a spatula.
- For the sauce, drain the cherries, keeping the syrup. Mix the cornstarch with a little cold syrup, bring the rest of the syrup to a boil, stir in the cornstarch, then add the cherries. Let thicken for 1 minute.
- Hide one whole almond in the bowl. Serve the risalamande very cold, topped with warm cherry sauce.
Notes
Creamy, light, full of almonds and topped with warm cherry sauce: risalamande is the dessert that ends Christmas Eve dinner in Denmark. This Danish rice pudding with almonds is eaten cold, lightened with whipped cream, and always hides one whole almond that wins a gift. Here is our complete risalamande recipe, with vanilla rice pudding, cherry sauce and all the tips for the perfect texture.
Risalamande, the Danish Christmas dessert
On the evening of December 24, almost every Danish family serves the same Danish Christmas dessert: risalamande. It arrives after the duck or roast pork, when everyone is already full, yet nobody says no. The name comes from the French “riz à l’amande” (rice with almonds), pronounced the Danish way. The dessert appeared at the end of the 19th century, when the Danish middle classes wanted a more refined version of traditional rice porridge, with whipped cream and almonds, which were expensive at the time.
A Danish Christmas pastry specialty
Together with æbleskiver, it is the great Danish Christmas pastry specialty. Even today it is mostly made for the holidays, in large quantities, and leftovers are eaten the next day for breakfast or as a snack. It belongs on any Nordic holiday table, next to our Norwegian krumkake.
Risengrød vs risalamande
To understand risalamande, you have to talk about risengrød vs risalamande. Risengrød is a hot rice porridge, served on December 23 with a knob of melted butter and cinnamon sugar. Some is also left out for the nisse, the Christmas elf, so he protects the house. The next day, the cold leftovers of the risengrød are mixed with whipped cream, almonds and sugar: that is risalamande. A simple hot dish on one side, a cold festive dessert on the other, with the same base.
How to make risalamande
Here is how to make risalamande in three stages. First, slowly cook the rice in milk with vanilla for about 40 minutes until you get a thick rice pudding. Then let it cool completely, ideally overnight. Finally, on the day, add the chopped almonds, sugar and whipped cream, then make the cherry sauce. It is an easy risalamande recipe: no complicated technique, just patience for cooking and cooling.
Pudding rice for risalamande
The right rice for risalamande is a short-grain, starchy rice that turns creamy when cooked. In Denmark, people use grødris, a special porridge rice. Elsewhere, short-grain pudding rice or arborio give excellent results. Avoid long-grain rice like basmati, which stays in separate grains. Don’t rinse the rice: its starch creates the texture.
Spices for risalamande
The traditional recipe only needs a real vanilla pod, preferably Bourbon, cooked in the milk. But other spices for risalamande can add a personal touch. A pinch of ground cardamom in the milk gives a very Nordic aroma. Ceylon cinnamon is usually kept for hot risengrød, but a hint in the cherry sauce is delicious. A few drops of bitter almond extract boost the almond flavor. Find more ideas in our spice guide.
A Scandinavian vanilla rice pudding with whipped cream
What sets risalamande apart is its lightness. It is a Scandinavian vanilla rice pudding, but as airy as a mousse. The secret is whipped cream in rice pudding. Whip well-chilled cream to soft peaks, without overbeating, then fold it into the cold rice in two additions with a spatula, lifting the mixture. The rice must be completely cold, or the cream will collapse. Use roughly as much whipped cream as rice pudding.
Slivered and blanched almonds
For risalamande, use blanched almonds, meaning skinless, roughly chopped with a knife to keep some crunch. To blanch almonds yourself, drop them into boiling water for 1 minute, cool them, then pinch them: the skin slips right off. Slivered almonds also work, but they give less crunch. Always keep one whole almond aside for the game.
The whole almond tradition in risalamande
The whole almond tradition in risalamande is the most awaited moment of Christmas Eve. A single whole almond is hidden in the big bowl. Whoever finds it in their serving wins the mandelgave, the “almond gift”: often a marzipan pig, a board game or chocolates. The winner may keep the almond hidden in their mouth until the whole bowl is finished, which forces everyone to take second helpings!
Cherry sauce for risalamande
Cherry sauce for risalamande (kirsebærsauce) is inseparable from the dessert. It is served warm over the cold risalamande, and that contrast is the whole charm of the dish. The simplest version uses a jar of dark cherries in syrup: thicken the syrup with a little cornstarch, then add the cherries. With frozen cherries, cook them for 5 minutes with 100 g sugar and 200 ml water before thickening. A splash of kirsch or lemon juice brightens the sauce.
Our tips for perfect risalamande
Cook the rice pudding the day before: it must be cold and firm. If the chilled rice pudding is too stiff, loosen it with a little cold milk before adding the cream. Taste before serving and adjust the sugar: the base rice pudding is lightly sweetened, and the sauce brings the sweetness. Serve risalamande in a big bowl so the almond game works.
Frequently asked questions about risalamande
Can you make risalamande ahead?
Yes. The rice pudding can be made 1 to 2 days ahead. Add the whipped cream on the day, a few hours before serving.
Can you serve it without cherry sauce?
Yes, with a red berry coulis or raspberry compote, but warm cherry sauce remains the classic version.
How long does risalamande keep?
2 days in the fridge, well covered, and always without the sauce, which is reheated at the last moment.
Can you make dairy-free or vegan risalamande?
Yes. Use lactose-free milk and lactose-free cream, which whips very well. For a vegan version, cook the rice in almond or oat milk and replace the cream with whippable coconut or oat cream. The texture will be a little less airy, but the almond flavor will be even stronger.
What to drink with risalamande?
In Denmark, the meal often ends with a small glass of dessert wine or coffee. A sweet wine with red fruit notes or a spiced black tea goes very well with the cherry sauce.
