Risalamande recipe

For the Rice Pudding:

1. Bring the arborio rice, salt, grated lemon zest, sugar and water to a boil in a  pot.  Boil for 3 minutes, add the milk and return to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, increasing the frequency during the last 10 minutes to prevent scorching.
2. Let the rice cool and then chill for several hours or overnight.

For the Risalamande:

1. Beat the cream until it starts to thicken.
2. Add the sugar, vanilla bean paste and almond extract and beat until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-beat.
3. Stir the cream mixture into the rice pudding.
4. Stir in the slivered blanched almonds.
5. If you want to be true to traditions, add a single whole blanched almond into the Risalamande – who ever gets the whole almond wins a small prize.
6. Store Risalamande in fridge until serving.

For the cherry sauce:

1. In a small saucepan combine frozen cherries, sugar and water.
2. In a separate small bowl dissolve corn starch in lemon juice.
3. When cherries start to boil, add corn starch mixture, and cook until the sauce slightly thickens, about 3-5 minutes. If you want your cherry sauce thicker, add more corn starch mixture.
4. Serve the Risalamande at room temperature with the warm cherry sauce.