Riskrem

The story

Think of riskrem as the cold, leftover cousin of warm risgrøt: rice cooked in milk, chilled completely, then folded with whipped cream into a light, almost mousse-like mixture and served with a chilled sauce of red fruit, most often raspberries, cherries, or black currants. The contrast between the pale, creamy dessert and the deep-red, sweet-tart sauce is one of the small moments of culinary theater at the Norwegian Christmas table, and the sauce is often poured in front of the guests just before everyone digs in. As in neighboring Scandinavian traditions, a single whole almond is hidden in the mixture, and whoever finds it wins a small prize. Riskrem is served as the last course after ribbe or pinnekjøtt, when guests are already full, so its lightness, the air folded into the cream, is part of why it manages to round off the meal without weighing it down. For the diaspora, riskrem is one of those dessert recipes that takes easily to swapping frozen fruit for fresh without losing the spirit of the dish.