This Filipino Pudding Packs a Coconut Punch—Here is Tips on how to Make It

Why It Works

Dissolving the cornstarch in chilly water earlier than including it to the recent custard base prevents lumps from forming.
Roasting the corn and the coconut flakes within the oven concentrates their flavors.

Maja blanca (generally spelled maha blanca) is a creamy, dense coconut pudding made with coconut milk, grated coconut, evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk, cornstarch, and sugar. It is a in style Filipino dessert that is much like Hawaii’s haupia and Italy’s panna cotta―all of them use milk, sugar, and a thickener to create a candy base that is poured right into a mildew, chilled till set, and loved chilly. Maja blanca may embody kernels of candy corn, the introduction of which is credited to the arrival of reasonably priced canned items. Variations of maja blanca that comprise corn are often called maja blanca con maíz, maja blanca maíz, or, merely, maja maíz.

Maja blanca was initially made with agar-agar―a gelling agent derived from crimson algae. Within the Philippines, agar-agar is bought in multi-colored blocks on the open markets, the place they’re suspended on strings and hung from stalls like outsized Christmas lights. These blocks of agar have to be boiled in water till absolutely dissolved earlier than they can be utilized. Nonetheless, when cornstarch was launched to the nation through the American occupation, Filipinos adopted it as their major thickener of selection attributable to its comfort and ease of use.

My recipe for maja blanca celebrates the union of buttery-sweet corn and creamy coconut. I choose to make use of contemporary corn as a substitute of canned, and I wish to roast the shucked corn cobs entire to pay attention their wealthy taste. If contemporary corn is unavailable, drained canned candy corn is an appropriate substitute and can work in a pinch. As an alternative of calling for evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk, I rely solely on coconut milk, which places its taste entrance and middle and likewise makes this dessert dairy-free.

Upon getting your substances ready, the pudding comes collectively shortly on the range: You carry coconut milk, sugar, salt, macapuno (preserved younger coconut strings), and the roasted corn to a simmer, add a slurry of cornstarch and water is added (which helps forestall lumps from forming), then you definitely stir the combination till it thickens, at which level I unfold it out evenly on a greased baking dish. As soon as chilled and absolutely set, I prime the maja blanca with a salty-sweet mixture of toasted shredded coconut, brown sugar, and salt for added crunch. Portion it out and serve it as an after-meal dessert, or as a merienda (snack) through the day.

Maja blanca is a flexible dessert, and you may riff on it in some ways. A number of of my favourite variations are including contemporary younger coconut meat to the custard, ending the set custard with a topping of grated cheddar cheese, and topping it off with latik (crispy coconut curds).

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3 1/2 ounces unsweetened shredded coconut (100g; 1 cup)
2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided; for desk salt use half as a lot by quantity or the identical weight
2 tablespoons mild brown sugar (1 ounce; 30g)
Pan spray, for greasing
2 ears contemporary corn, shucked (see word)
2 tablespoons (30ml) coconut oil, virgin or refined, melted
5 ounces cornstarch (145g; 1 cup)
8 ounces (240ml) water
One 13.5-ounce (400ml) can full-fat coconut milk
5 1/4 ounces sugar (150g; 3/4 cup)
12 ounces macapuno (340g; 1 1/4 cups), see word

Alter oven rack to prime place and preheat to 375°F (190°C). Unfold coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, shaking pan often, till golden brown, about 12 minutes. Switch toasted coconut to a small bowl and let cool till room temperature, about 10 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt and brown sugar and stir till completely mixed. Put aside.

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Enhance oven temperature to 425°F (220°C). Grease a 9- by 13-inch glass baking dish with pan spray; put aside. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place corn on ready baking sheet and brush with coconut oil on all sides. Roast, rotating pan midway by, till corn is tender and calmly brown, about half-hour. Put aside till cool sufficient to deal with, about 10 minutes.

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To take away kernels from the cobs, place a big bowl in your work floor and invert a small bowl throughout the giant bowl (this serves as a base on which to relaxation the corncob). Working with one ear of corn at a time, place one finish of a cob on the inverted, smaller bowl. Utilizing a pointy knife, slice downward as near the bottom of the kernels as attainable, whereas taking care to not angle the blade into the cob itself. Rotate the ear of corn, and proceed till all kernels have been eliminated. Repeat with the remaining ear of corn. Put aside; discard cobs.

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In a medium bowl, whisk collectively cornstarch and water till easy; put aside.

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In a 3-quart saucepan, whisk collectively coconut milk and sugar, and set over medium-high warmth. Cook dinner, whisking steadily, till sugar is absolutely dissolved, about 2 minutes. Deliver to a boil then decrease warmth to take care of a gentle simmer. Whisk in reserved corn kernels, macapuno, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt.

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Re-whisk ready cornstarch combination. Whereas whisking repeatedly, slowly pour cornstarch combination into coconut combination in a skinny stream, till all of it has been added. Utilizing a versatile spatula, cook dinner, stirring always, till the coconut combination is thick and sticks to the perimeters and backside of the saucepan, 3 to five minutes. Switch combination to ready baking dish, and easy prime into an excellent layer.

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Let cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate till absolutely set, at the least 2 hours.

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Slice into 24 2-inch squares. High every sq. with 2 teaspoons of reserved toasted coconut combination earlier than serving.

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Particular Tools

9- by 13-inch glass baking dish, rimmed baking sheets

Notes

In case you are unable to buy contemporary corn, you’ll be able to substitute with 6 ounces (170g) drained canned entire kernel candy corn. In Step 3, toss corn kernels with coconut oil in a medium bowl earlier than roasting, then proceed to Step 5.

Macapuno, or coconut sport strings, are preserved younger coconut strips produced from a wide range of coconut that has a gentle jelly-like flesh and incorporates little or no water. It tastes sweeter than typical coconut and is usually utilized in Filipino desserts. Macapuno may be present in Filipino and Asian specialty markets in addition to on-line. In case you are unable to search out macapuno, you’ll be able to choose to not add it.

Make-Forward and Storage

The toasted coconut topping may be saved in an hermetic container for as much as 1 week.

The corn may be ready forward of time and refrigerated in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days.

Maja blanca may be refrigerated in an hermetic container for as much as 1 week.

This Filipino Pudding Packs a Coconut Punch—Here is Tips on how to Make It

Why It Works