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Risalamande is a creamy Danish rice pudding dessert traditionally served at Christmas. It combines whipped cream, vanilla, and chopped almonds with cold rice pudding, topped with warm cherry sauce. The fun almond game — hiding a whole almond in the dish for someone to find and win a prize — makes it a festive family favorite. Perfect for sharing, risalamande brings holiday warmth and joy to the table.
Ingredients
Rice base:
- 1 cup short-grain rice
- 1 cups whole milk
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Pinch of salt
Cream mixture:
- 1¼ cups heavy cream
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar optional
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or seeds from 1 vanilla bean
- ⅔ cup chopped blanched almonds
- 1 whole blanched almond for the almond game
Cherry sauce:
- 10 oz sour cherries jarred or frozen
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water
Instructions
- Bring milk to a gentle boil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add rice and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat and simmer for 35–40 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. When thick and creamy, stir in sugar. Let cool completely, ideally overnight.
- Whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and vanilla.
- Fold chopped almonds into the cooled rice pudding. Gently fold in the whipped cream until smooth and fluffy. Add the whole almond discreetly.
- To make the cherry sauce, simmer cherries with sugar and lemon juice for 5–7 minutes. Mix cornstarch with cold water and stir into the sauce to thicken. Cool slightly.
- Serve the cold rice pudding topped with warm cherry sauce. Enjoy the almond hunt!
Notes
Risalamande: the Danish Christmas dessert that brings joy, tradition, and a little surprise 🎄✨
Picture this: candles flickering on the windowsill, the scent of cinnamon and cloves hanging in the air, and the quiet hum of conversation around the dinner table. In the middle of it all, there’s a bowl of something white and creamy, crowned with a vibrant red sauce. That’s Risalamande — Denmark’s favorite Christmas dessert and a symbol of comfort, family, and festive tradition.
A humble dish with a festive twist 🍚❤️
At its core, Risalamande is a rice pudding. But calling it just that doesn’t really do it justice. It's what happens when leftover rice porridge — known in Danish as risengrød — is transformed into something much more elegant and celebratory. The rice is folded with whipped cream, sweet vanilla, and chopped almonds until it’s light, smooth, and just slightly nutty. Then comes the warm cherry sauce, tart and fruity, poured generously over the cold pudding. The contrast in temperature and flavor is part of what makes the dish so beloved. Despite its French-sounding name (which translates loosely to "rice with almonds"), Risalamande is as Danish as wool socks and hygge. It first appeared in Danish homes during the late 1800s when ingredients like almonds and vanilla became more accessible. Since then, it’s earned a place as the official dessert of Christmas Eve.Now here’s the part everyone remembers. Somewhere inside the dessert, there’s a whole almond, left unchopped and tucked into the pudding before serving. Whoever finds it in their portion wins a small gift, often a marzipan pig or something fun like a little game or candy. But here’s the twist — if you find the almond, you’re supposed to keep it a secret. You keep eating, pretending you’re still searching, while everyone else spoons through their bowls in suspense. It turns a simple dessert into a playful tradition, full of laughter and second helpings.
When Danes serve risalamande 🎅🍽️
This dish is a Christmas Eve staple. After roast duck or pork and caramelized potatoes, Risalamande comes out as the finale — cold, creamy, and topped with that signature warm cherry sauce. It’s often served:- 🕯️ After dinner on December 24th
- 🎁 During the almond gift game
- 🍷 With a mug of Gløgg, the spiced Danish mulled wine
