Risalamande – Danish rice dessert with cream and almonds

After a Google search and a few interesting Christmas traditions later (for example in Japan, KFC is the traditional Christmas Eve feast - the lines go out the door!), I came across this interesting Danish Christmas tradition. Risalamande is a rice pudding with almonds and cream, served with cherry sauce. Riz a l’amande translates to rice and almonds.

Having grown up on rizogalo, a Greek rice pudding with cinnamon, I was curious so had to give this one a go…with a yoghurt twist of course.

Traditionally this dish is served mixed with cream however to lighten it a little I opted for ¾ cream and ¼ yoghurt. I think the result was good.



Ingredients:
  • ½ cup white rice
  • 2.1 cups of milk
  • ¼ cup water
  • ½ teaspoon of vanilla essence
  • 2 tablespoons of sugar
  • 200g pitted cherries in syrup
  • 2 tablespoons of the cherry syrup
  • 2 tablespoons of icing sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of ground almonds
  • ¾ cup of cream
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ cup of Greek yoghurt

Method:
  • Put rice and water in a saucepan and let cook until boiling
  • Add milk and vanilla essence and put on low, cook covered for 40 minutes
  • Add 2 tablespoons of sugar and cook uncovered for another 2-4 minutes or until it thickens, most of the liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender
  • Put in the fridge to cool
  • Once the rice pudding is completely cooled, mix the sugar and almonds together and mix through the rice pudding
  • Whip the cream until light and fluffy, then add yoghurt and sugar.
  • Mix the cream and yoghurt mixture into the rice pudding
  • Portion the rice pudding out into glasses and place in the fridge until set
  • Meanwhile combine the icing sugar, syrup and pitted cherries and cook on medium heat until the cherries soften and the sauce becomes thick – crush the cherries with a spoon until they become part of the sauce (it can be a bit chunky)
  • Serve rice pudding with a tablespoon of warm cherry sauce (or more – just double the sauce recipe J).

I enjoyed this dish – it wasn’t too sweet and was surprisingly light. It would be a nice end to a Christmas meal and most of it can be made the night before, making it easy! 


glædelig jul (Merry Christmas in Danish). 

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