Risalamande (Danish Almond Rice Pudding with Cherry Sauce)

Rice pudding

• 180 g Short-grain rice
• 1 liter Whole milk
• 1 Vanilla bean
• 1 pinch Fine sea salt
• 80 g Caster sugar

Risalamande fold-ins

• 90 g Blanched almonds
• 300 ml Double cream, well chilled

Warm cherry sauce

• 500 g Sweet cherries, pitted
• 1 Lemon

1. Put the rice, whole milk, vanilla seeds and pod, and a pinch of salt into a saucepan. Bring just to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring often so the milk does not catch. Turn the heat to low and cook for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring regularly, until the rice is tender and the mixture is thick and creamy.
2. Stir in the caster sugar and cook for 2 minutes, just until dissolved. Remove from the heat and lift out the vanilla pod. Scrape the pudding into a bowl and cool to room temperature.
3. Cover and chill the rice pudding until fully cold and set. It should be thick enough to hold soft peaks when stirred. If it seems very stiff, give it a thorough stir to loosen before folding in the cream later.
4. Roughly chop the blanched almonds. Whip the double cream in a mixing bowl to soft peaks. Fold the almonds into the cold rice pudding, then gently fold in the whipped cream until evenly combined and light.
5. Chill the risalamande for at least 30 minutes so it firms up slightly and the flavours settle. Spoon into serving bowls or a serving dish. Keep chilled while you make the sauce.
6. Put the sweet cherries into a saucepan with 2 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest. Warm over low to medium heat for 8 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cherries soften and release their juices and the sauce looks glossy. Serve the risalamande cold with the cherry sauce warm.

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