Scandinavian Christmas Rice Pudding Dessert (Risalamande)

When Christmas rolls around, Scandinavian kitchens fill with the sweet smell of vanilla‑scented rice porridge simmering on the stove. In the North, rice pudding is a staple on the julbord, and the next day what’s left often becomes a festive dessert. Chilled porridge is whipped with cream, sugar, and vanilla into a velvety treat. Danes call the result risalamande (from French riz à l’amande, “rice with almonds”), Norwegians call it riskrem, and in Sweden and Finland it’s known as ris à la Malta or Maltan riisi. No matter the name, one tradition unites them all: a whole blanched almond is hidden in the pudding, and the lucky finder wins a little gift (or, as the old tales say, a year of good luck).

This elegant dessert actually dates back over a century. By about 1900 the upper classes in Denmark were serving risalamande at Christmas instead of plain rice porridge. Its fancy French-derived name literally means “rice with almonds” – a reminder that the inspiration came from a sophisticated, almond‑flavored French pudding. After World War II it became famous as a clever money‑saving dessert: adding whipped cream stretched the expensive rice and almonds to feed the crowd. In other words, a little luxury went a long way in a big family gathering.

Regional variations add delightful twists. In Denmark, risalamande is classically served with a warm cherry sauce – it’s even traditional to stir a splash of cherry liqueur or kirsch into the sauce for extra depth. Norwegian riskrem is nearly identical in ingredients, but Norwegians usually ladle a bright red berry compote (strawberries or raspberries) over it. In Sweden, the mix of cold rice and whipped cream is ris à la Malta; Swedes often call an orange‑studded version apelsinris and may garnish it with lingonberry jam or a tangy fruit syrup. Finland’s Maltan riisi is almost the same thing, commonly served with lingonberry or raspberry puree.

Making risalamande is surprisingly easy. The rice pudding (risengrød) can be cooked a day ahead and fully chilled. Then, in a gentle folding step, cold porridge is blended with lightly sweetened whipped cream, vanilla, and chopped almonds. The texture should be cold and pillowy, with just a crunch from the nuts. As a final flourish, tuck in one whole almond for tradition. When serving, spoon steaming cherry or berry sauce over each portion so the pudding gleams under rosy sweetness. Each bite is creamy and dreamy: cold creaminess, a touch of vanilla warmth, crunchy nut, and the bright pop of fruit. It’s the perfect cozy finale to a holiday meal – a wintry hug for your taste buds.

Erik Lundström

Scandinavian Christmas Rice Pudding Dessert (Risalamande, Riskrem & Ris à la Malta)

A classic Scandinavian Christmas rice pudding dessert—Risalamande (Danish), Riskrem (Norwegian), and Ris à la Malta (Swedish)—made by folding softly cooled rice pudding into lightly sweetened whipped cream, then serving it with warm cherry sauce or berry compote and a “hidden” almond for tradition.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Chill time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs

Servings: 8 people

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Nordic

Calories: 450

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 4 cups (1 l) whole milk
• 1 cup (200 g) short-grain white rice (such as sushi rice or risotto rice)
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
• ¾ cup chopped blanched almond
• 1 whole blanched almond, for hiding in the dessert
• pinch of salt
• 1 small cinnamon stick (optional, for cooking)
• 1–1½ cups cherry sauce or mixed berry compote, warmed (for serving)

Method

 

Cook the rice porridge

1. In a heavy saucepan, combine the milk, rice, salt and optinal cinnamon stick.
2. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.
3. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is very tender and the mixture is thick and creamy, about 30–40 minutes. (If needed, add a splash more milk near the end.)
4. Remove from heat and discard the cinnamon stick.
5. Transfer the porridge to a bowl and let it cool.
6. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator for atleast 3 hours (ideally overnight) so it’s very cold.

Prepare almonds and cream

1. Meanwhile, pour boiling water over the almonds in a small bowl, let sit 1 minute, then drain.
2. Slip off the almond skins and pat the nuts dry.
3. Coarsely chop all but one almond (save that one for the prize).
4. In a large bowl, whisk or beat the cold heavy cream with the sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form (the cream should be thick but not stiff).

Assemble the pudding

1. Gently fold the chopped almonds and most of the whipped cream into the chilled rice porridge.
2. Reserve a few spoons of whipped cream and some almonds to sprinkle on top later.
3. Drop the reserved whole almond into the mixture as you stir.
4. Cover and refrigerate the combined pudding for at least 1 hour. This chilling sets the texture and lets the flavors meld.

Serve

1. Spoon the pudding into dessert bowls.
2. Top each serving with warm cherry or berry sauce, making a little puddle of bright fruit compote against the white rice cream.
3. Sprinkle with the reserved chopped almonds (and a dusting of cinnamon sugar, if you like).
4. Bring the bowls to the table with a flourish – and watch for who finds that hidden almond!

Final words

Scandinavian Christmas rice pudding dessert is one of those dishes that feels much fancier than it really is – just a humble pot of rice porridge, dressed up with cream, vanilla, almonds and a little drama around a hidden nut. Whether you call it risalamande, riskrem or ris à la Malta, it has the same job across the Nordic countries: to end a long, cosy holiday meal on a soft, creamy note while everyone leans in to see who finds the almond.

Make the porridge one day, whip the cream the next, and you’ve got a make-ahead dessert that happily feeds a crowd and tastes like pure winter comfort. Serve it with warm cherry or berry sauce, light a few candles, and let this simple bowl of rice and cream do what it’s done in Scandinavian homes for generations – bring people back to the table, just when they thought they couldn’t eat another bite.