Go Back
Risalamande in a speckled off-white ceramic bowl topped with warm cherry sauce, chopped almonds, and cinnamon sugar on a light wooden Nordic table.
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.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Chill time 3 hours
Total Time 4 hours
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!