Maja Blanca

Maja Blanca is a white pudding whose main ingredients are coconut milk and cornstarch. There is a counterpart in Puerto Rico called tembleque.

The phrase is from the Spanish “Manjar blanco,” which is a translation the French “blancmange” referring to a dessert made from milk and cornstarch. It is traditionally white in color.

What distinguishes the Filipino version of this pudding from the similar ones from other countries is the addition of grated coconut (usually toasted brown) as a topping. Corn kernels are also an optional ingredient.

Below is a simple recipe that can serve as a guide for making the Filipino dessert maja blanca.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups gata (coconut milk)
1 cup toasted coconut flakes for topping

COOKING PROCEDURE

1.  In a non-stick pan over medium heat, bring to a gentle boil the coconut milk and sugar.

2.  In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with the water. Stir until smooth.

3. Slowly add this cornstarch solution to the boiling milk mixture. Stir fast for about 3 minutes to thicken.

4. Transfer to a greased pan and let cool until the mixture firmly sets.  

5. Sprinkle with coconut flakes just before serving.

As a very trivial aside, there is an oil/chemical tanker with the name Maja Blanca. It was built in 2009 and flies the flag of the Marshall Islands. Call Sign: V7IU9