Heidi Curious about authentic Swedish Christmas traditions? Today, we’re diving into the magic of Swedish cuisine with Ingrid from Northern Delight. She tells us all about tomtegröt, the traditional Swedish rice porridge for Christmas, and shares her irresistible Ris à la Malta recipe.
“I’m Ingrid, a passionate Swedish cook and owner of Northern Delight, a catering company based in Utrecht, The Netherlands. We specialise in Scandinavian catering for both private parties and businesses across The Netherlands and Belgium. Want to explore Swedish cooking yourself? Visit our website for more information, or follow my Facebook page for current news, bookings, and delicious recipes.”
The tradition of ‘tomtegröt’ – Swedish Christmas rice porridge
Many Swedish families hold fast to the tradition of eating rice porridge, or gröt, on Christmas Eve (24th December). Whether it’s for breakfast, lunch, or an evening dish, it’s often served with cinnamon, sugar, and a splash of milk.
The origin of tomtegröt
Did you know that the name tomtegröt literally means “gnome’s porridge”?
In the past, people in Sweden believed that small gnomes, the tomtar, helped on the farm. To keep these invisible but helpful creatures happy, a bowl of rice porridge was placed on the doorstep or steps on Christmas Eve. The modern-day Father Christmas, the jultomte, owes his name to these original gnomes!
Ingrid shares a fond childhood memory: “I grew up in Småland, Sweden. Just before Christmas, my father’s church community organised a ‘porridge party’. Every family brought their own bowl of tomtegröt. It was surprising how varied the taste could be; every family had a secret ingredient! After sampling all the variations, in the second round, we had to try to remember which one was the tastiest. A true Swedish foodie event!”
Ris à la Malta: the ultimate Swedish Christmas dessert
Swedish cooking is clever and waste-free. From any leftover tomtegröt (make sure you save some!) you can make Ris à la Malta the next day. This is a much-loved Swedish Christmas dessert.
What is Ris à la Malta? It’s a creamy treat made from cold rice porridge/tomtegröt, enriched with light, whipped double cream and vanilla sugar.
“In my family, we always serve Ris à la Malta with orange slices and chopped almonds. You can also serve it with a red berry syrup sauce,” Ingrid suggests.
Chef’s Tip: For the perfect Ris à la Malta, Ingrid uses dessert rice. This is a quick-cooking, pre-treated round grain that minimises the risk of burning, unlike traditional ‘ordinary’ porridge rice.
Ingrid’s authentic Ris à la Malta recipe
Here is the recipe to make this traditional Swedish dessert yourself. Smaklig måltid (Enjoy your meal)!
Ingredients for 5 servings
- 1 litre semi-skimmed milk
- 200g dessert rice
- 400ml double cream
- 4 tsp vanilla sugar
- 3 oranges
- Chopped, browned almonds
and/or
- 1 jar of cherries in syrup, approximately 500g
- Sugar to taste
- Potato starch (or cornflour/corn starch) for thickening
Method: preparing Ris à la Malta
- The tomtegröt: Put the milk and rice into a large pan. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low, and stir regularly (to prevent burning). Cook the porridge until done (approx. 12 minutes). Allow the porridge to cool completely.
- The oranges: Peel the oranges and slice them into nice rounds. Arrange them on a platter and sprinkle with the chopped almonds.
- The cherry sauce (Optional): Bring the cherries with syrup to the boil. Add sugar to taste. Mix 0.5 tablespoon of potato starch with a little water and add it to the cherries, stirring to thicken. The sauce will thicken further as it cools.
- Finishing touches: Whip the double cream with the vanilla sugar until it forms soft peaks. Just before serving, carefully fold the whipped cream into the cold rice porridge. Important: Do not put the dish back in the fridge, or it will become too firm. The texture should be light and airy.
Thank you, Ingrid from Northern Delight, for sharing this delightful Swedish Christmas tradition and this authentic Ris à la Malta recipe!
P.S. Ingrid previously shared a recipe for real Swedish meatballs too!
