Risalamande (Danish Rice Pudding)

This creamy rice pudding is sure to become a beautiful and scrumptious addition to your festive holiday table. Makes 6 servings.

½ c Arborio rice
¾ c almonds chopped
¼ c water
1 almond whole
2 c Longmont Dairy milk
1 c Longmont Dairy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp powdered sugar
¼ tsp salt

For the cherry sauce:
15 oz frozen cherries
2 tsp cornstarch
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
½ c water

In a medium saucepan combine rice and water, and put on medium heat. When water starts to boil, add milk, vanilla extract, sugar and salt.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and, stirring occasionally, cook until rice absorbs all water and is soft, about 30 minutes. Remove rice from heat, stir in chopped almonds and cool completely.
In a large bowl, combine whipping cream and powdered sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat the whipping cream on medium speed until stiff peaks. Fold whipped cream into the cooled rice and almond mixture.

For the cherry sauce

In a small sauce pan combine frozen cherries, sugar and water. In a separate small bowl dissolve corn starch in lemon juice. When cherries start to boil, add corn starch mixture and cook until the sauce slightly thickens, about 3-5 minutes. If you wish to thicken your cherry sauce even more, dissolve additional ½ teaspoon of corn starch in ½ teaspoon of cherry sauce and add it back into the pot with the sauce.

Place a whole almond in one of the serving glasses. (Whoever finds the nut can expect 12 months of good fortune). Spoon a few tablespoons of Risalamande into each serving glass and drizzle with cherry sauce.