, Step by step

Danish-style risalamande with black cherry compote

A Danish-inspired rich and creamy dessert, great for the festive season.

Mark Stower, Director of Food and Service

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 40 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

Step 1

Make the rice pudding by placing the rice, milk and 80g of caster sugar into a medium-sized pan and bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer, stirring occasionally for approximately 30 minutes – the rice pudding mixture should now be soft and creamy. Now add in the zest and juice of the orange to the rice pudding mixture. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Step 2

Make the cherry compote by placing the cherries, including the juice from the tin, with 50g of caster sugar, into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Combine the cornflour with a little water to form a smooth paste, then stir into the cherries and allow to thicken slightly. Set aside to cool.
Step 3

Whip the cream with the vanilla bean paste until a soft peak is achieved. Then fold this into the cooled rice pudding mixture.
Step 4

Roughly chop the clementine segments and add them to the rice pudding mixture.
Step 5

Spoon the rice pudding mixture into serving glasses and add the cherry compote on top of each. Finish with a sprig of mint on top.

Risalamande is a Danish dessert, traditionally eaten as part of the Christmas festive meal that in Northern European countries is served on Christmas Eve. It is a rice pudding mixed with cream, vanilla, and almonds, although Mark’s delicious version uses oranges and clementines instead of the nuts.
Clementines are a type of seedless mandarin orange which have grown in India and China for at least two thousand years. It is said that clementines may have taken their name from an Algerian monk, Father Clement, who allegedly discovered them growing in his garden!
Risalamande is topped with cherries which traditionally would have been bottled in the summer months to provide fruit for the winter.
There are many species of edible cherries worldwide, but it is believed that they may have been introduced to England by Henry VIII, who had first tasted them in the Netherlands.
Like all citrus fruit, clementines are full of vitamin C and two fruits count as one of your 5 A Day. Cherries also provide vitamin C and fibre, and contain the hormone melatonin, which helps regulate sleep, but you would need to eat a lot of cherries for it to have any effect!
Mark’s lovely dish provides about one of your 5 A Day per serving and is a great alternative to our traditional Christmas desserts.

DR JULIET GREY, COMPANY NUTRITIONIST