Risalamande facts for kids
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| Alternative names | Ris à l'amande |
|---|---|
| Course | Dessert |
| Place of origin | Denmark |
| Region or state | Northern Europe |
| Serving temperature | Cold |
| Main ingredients | Rice pudding, almonds, whipped cream, vanilla |
Risalamande (also spelled ris à l'amande) is a special Danish dessert. It's a popular treat served during Christmas dinner and Christmas lunch (called julefrokost) in Denmark.
This yummy dessert is made by mixing rice pudding with whipped cream, sugar, vanilla, and chopped almonds. People usually serve it cold. You can enjoy it with either warm or cold cherry sauce (kirsebærsovs).
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What's in a Name?
The name Risalamande sounds a bit French, right? That's because it comes from the French words riz à l'amande. This means "rice with almonds."
Even though the name is French, the dessert itself was created in Denmark. Today, risalamande is the official spelling approved by the Danish Language Committee.
A Sweet History of Risalamande
Risalamande first appeared in the late 1800s. It was inspired by an older French dessert called riz à l'impératrice. That dessert was firmer and often shaped in molds.
Risalamande became popular when rice pudding became more common. Before that, rice pudding was a fancy dish. This was because it needed expensive ingredients like almonds and cinnamon.
After World War II, risalamande became even more popular. It was seen as a "savings" dessert. Adding whipped cream made the expensive rice go further. Sometimes, people even made it without almonds to save more money.
Christmas Traditions with Risalamande
In Denmark, plain rice pudding (risengrød) can be eaten all year. But it's also a big part of Christmas meals. It's served hot with cinnamon and butter. Sometimes, it's enjoyed with malt beer (hvidtøl).
Rice Pudding on "Little Christmas Eve"
Some families make a lot of rice pudding on December 23. This day is called lillejuleaften, which means "Little Christmas Eve." They eat some for dinner. Then, they save the rest to make risalamande for Christmas dinner the next day.
Eating hot rice pudding as a starter for Christmas dinner is an older tradition. It came before risalamande became so popular.
Feeding the Christmas Elves
According to tradition, hot rice pudding is also a favorite food of the nisser. These are like Christmas elves! This belief is common in other Nordic countries too.
Families with children might leave a bowl of rice pudding out for the nisser. If the bowl is empty in the morning (maybe a cat ate it!), it's proof that the nisse visited! This tradition comes from old beliefs in house spirits.
The Hidden Almond Game
On Christmas Eve, there's a fun game played with risalamande. A single whole almond is hidden in the dessert. The person who finds it wins a small prize!
Prizes can be a marzipan pig, a chocolate heart, or a small board game. The finder often tries to keep their discovery a secret for as long as possible. This makes everyone else eat more risalamande, even after a big Christmas dinner!
Risalamande in Other Nordic Countries
Risalamande is also enjoyed in other Nordic countries, but with slightly different names and traditions.
Sweden's Ris à la Malta
In Sweden, this dessert is called ris à la Malta. It's usually made from leftover chilled rice pudding, whipped cream, sugar, and vanilla. It might have almonds or not.
A fun tradition in Sweden is that the person who finds the hidden almond is expected to get married before the next Christmas! A version with diced oranges is called apelsinris. It's often served with a smooth syrup, jam, or frozen berries.
Finland's Maltan Riisi
In Finland, the dish is known as Maltan riisi. Like in Sweden, it's made from chilled leftover rice pudding, whipped cream, sugar, and vanilla. It can have almonds or not.
The tradition here is that the person who finds the hidden almond will have good luck all year! In Finland, it's often served with raspberry puree or even lingonberry puree or raisin compote.
Norway's Riskrem
Norwegians have a similar dessert called riskrem (meaning "rice cream"). Just like in Denmark, the person who finds the hidden almond wins a mandelgave (almond present). This prize is often a marzipan pig.
Riskrem might have almonds for flavor, but they are often chopped and put on top as decoration. In Norway, the sauce is usually made from raspberry or even strawberry, instead of cherry.
Risifrutti: A Ready-to-Eat Snack
Read more at Rice pudding#Nordic countries
Risifrutti is a ready-to-eat snack that was inspired by risalamande. It has been sold in Nordic countries since 1993. You can find it with different sauces, like strawberry, cherry, blueberry, and raspberry.
There are also other ready-to-eat products sold as risalamande. These are more like the actual dessert you would make at home.
See also
In Spanish: Risalamande para niños
