Scavenger Hunt - The Theme is "Food"

This week's theme is perfect for sharing recipes! This is a photo of Ris a la mande,which is a traditional Christmas desert in Scandinavia. It's a creamy rice pudding with chopped almonds and a delicious cherry sauce on top.
One whole almond is usually hidden in the pudding and the finder gets a little present.
Here is what you'll need:
A bit of gelatin. (optional)
3 tablespoons cold water
4 cups milk
1 cup short-grain white rice, or arborio rice, uncooked
7 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream, for whipping
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup blanched almonds, chopped
1 whole almond
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Meanwhile, place 2 cups of the milk and the rice in a medium saucepan. Stir over moderate heat until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the dissolved gelatin, then the remaining 2 cups of milk, the dash of salt and the sugar.

Transfer the rice mixture to a large bowl. Freeze until mixture is cold and thickens but does is not set, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

Whip the cream and vanilla until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the rice mixture. Fold in the 1/2 cup chopped almonds, and the one (1) whole almond. Place in a serving bowl and chill in rerigerator.

When ready to serve, spoon Ris ala mande into individual dessert bowls, and if desired, sprinkle a little ground cinnamon or nutmeg and sliced or slivered almonds over the top of each individual bowl and serve with Homemade Bing Cherry Sauce or a spoonful of canned cherry pie filling. Refrigerate any left-over pudding.

Homemade Bing Cherry Sauce

Ingredients:
1 can (17 oz.) Pitted Bing Cherries
3-4 tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tbsp. cornstarch
Dash of salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 tsp. almond extract or almond flavoring, optional
Water, to add to Bing Cherry liquid from can

Instructions:
Drain can of pitted bing cherries. Reserve liquid. Pour liquid (that you drained and reserved from can) into a medium saucepan, and add enough water to liquid to make 1 1/2 cups. Cook on medium heat, adding sugar, cornstarch, and a dash of salt. Cook and stir mixture until thickened and clear. Add the cherries, the lemon juice, and if desired, 1/2 tsp. almond extract. Pour sauce over individual servings of the Ris ala mande.

Note: Very Important!
Don't forget to put the 1 whole almond in the pudding.

Thanks to Diana Baker Woodall.

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