[1] According to a rumor, the invention of risalamande came about when a French cook or chef at the Hotel d'Angleterre in Copenhagen had to improvise a dessert.

[2][3] Risalamande was inspired by the classical French dessert of riz à l'impératrice (empress rice) which is more solid, shaped in moulds and decorated with raspberry jelly.

Here, the kitchens of bourgeois homes began to serve risalamande with cherry sauce for Christmas instead of rice pudding.

By eating rislamande for desert, they could distance themselves from the more common Danish people who instead ate rice pudding as a starter.

According to tradition, hot rice pudding is also the dish eaten by nisser, the Christmas elfs, which is common in other Nordic countries too.

As such, children may put out a bowl of rice pudding, and if eaten (possibly by a cat, or more often, the parents), it will demonstrate the existence of the nisse.

[8] The finder may conceal their discovery as long as possible, so that the rest of the partygoers are forced to eat the entire dish of risalamande, even after they have already devoured a large Christmas dinner.

In Finland, this dish is called Maltan riisi, Typically it is made of chilled leftover rice pudding, whipped cream, sugar and vanilla, with or without almonds.