Risalamande (Danish rice pudding)

Rinse the Pudding rice (short-grain/porridge rice) briefly and drain. In a heavy saucepan, combine the rice with the Whole milk, a pinch of Salt and the seeds scraped from the Vanilla bean plus the pod; bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.

Cook the rice, stirring often, until the grains are tender and the mixture is thick and creamy. Remove and discard the vanilla pod, then stir in a little Granulated sugar and the Vanilla sugar to taste. Let the pudding cool to room temperature, then chill thoroughly until cold.

Whip the Heavy cream (whipping cream) to soft peaks and sweeten slightly if desired. Meanwhile, finely chop most of the Blanched almonds, reserving one whole almond if you want to follow the Danish tradition of hiding one for a prize.

Fold the whipped cream gently into the chilled rice pudding until fully combined and airy, then stir in the chopped almonds. Taste and adjust sweetness or vanilla as needed, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To make the cherry sauce, combine the Pitted sour cherries with the Cherry juice and additional sugar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer so the fruit softens and releases flavor.

Mix a small amount of the Cornstarch with cold Water and a splash of Lemon juice to make a smooth slurry. Stir the slurry into the simmering cherries a little at a time until the sauce thickens to your liking. Remove from the heat and taste for sweetness and brightness.

Serve the chilled risalamande in bowls or a large dish, spooning warm cherry sauce over each portion. Scatter the reserved almond or a few extra chopped almonds on top for crunch.