Risalamande

Risalamande is a beloved Danish dessert often featured on Christmas tables. This festive treat has been cherished since the late 19th century and is made from rice pudding mixed with whipped cream, vanilla, and chopped almonds. It’s served cold with a warm cherry sauce on top, creating a delightful contrast.

The dessert gained widespread popularity after World War II. People appreciated it because the addition of whipped cream made the rice go further, which was an economical way to save money. During tougher times, almonds were sometimes omitted to keep costs down.

In Denmark, there is a similar dish called risengrød. It is served hot and essentially serves as the base for risalamande, without the additional ingredients. It is a Danish tradition to cook a large pot of rice pudding on "Little Christmas Eve" (December 23rd) to prepare risalamande for Christmas Eve.

Sweden has its own variation of this dessert called ris à la Malta. It is made from chilled leftover rice pudding mixed with whipped cream, sugar, vanilla, and sometimes almonds. A fun tradition associated with this dish involves hiding an almond in the serving, which is believed to bring good luck in finding a spouse before the next Christmas.

In Norway, there is a similar dish called riskrem, which is served with a raspberry or strawberry sauce. They also have a tradition involving a hidden almond. The lucky finder usually wins a marzipan pig.