Maja Blanca, also known as "white maja," is a famous filipino coconut pudding. It features everything an aspiring home cook yearns for in a unique and delicious dessert.
No oven, few ingredients, little time, and a delicious result.
With so many cakes, cookies and custards out there, it's important to expand your horizons and delve into the desserts that don't have all that added refined sugar. Maja blanca is traditionally sweetened little by little with every ingredient it involves.
Three sweet base milks, a "corny" center, and a crunchy, caramelized coconut exterior.
This maja blanca recipe 100% abides by our mantra,
Simple, yet delicious.
Enjoy!
Maja Blanca Filipino Dessert Recipe
Equipment
- large sauce or frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 Can coconut oil full fat
- 2 1/4 Cups whole milk
- 1 Cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 Cup whole corn drained
- 3/4 Cup corn starch
- 1/2 Cup dried (desiccated) coconut flakes
Instructions
- First, prepare the pan you will use by lightly greasing with non-stick spray or butter. We used two smaller pans, but a larger pan will work too. You are not baking your Maja Blanca in the oven, so really any vessel where it can chill and set will work.
- In a small bowl you will mix ¾ cup of your milk with ¾ cup cornstarch. Mix with a fork until everything is incorporated. This is your cornstarch slurry; set aside.
- In a large saucepan over high heat, mix coconut milk, the remaining 1½ cups of your normal milk, and sweetened condensed milk. Stir occasionally until a low boil has started.
- Next, add your corn kernels to the pot, along with the cornstarch slurry, while continuously mixing. Your mixture will start to thicken very quickly. Simmer on low heat for a few minutes, while stirring, until desired thickness has evolved.
- Immediately transfer your mixture to prepared pans. Spread out evenly with a spatula or spoon, making sure any air bubbles are popped. Let it chill on the countertop while you make your topping.
- Next you will make your topping by heating the desiccated coconut in a pan over medium-low heat. Stir often to avoid burning your coconut. Once it is a nice brown color, remove coconut from the heat.
- Sprinkle the browned coconut evenly over your dish.
Ingredients
Steps
1) First, prepare the pan you will use by lightly greasing with non-stick spray or butter. We used two smaller pans, but a larger pan will work too. You are not baking your Maja Blanca in the oven, so really any vessel where it can chill and set will work.
2) In a small bowl you will mix ¾ cup of your milk with ¾ cup cornstarch. Mix with a fork until everything is incorporated. This is your cornstarch slurry; set aside.
3) In a large saucepan over high heat, mix coconut milk, the remaining 1½ cups of your normal milk, and sweetened condensed milk. Stir occasionally until a low boil has started.
4) Next, add your corn kernels to the pot, along with the cornstarch slurry, while continuously mixing. Your mixture will start to thicken very quickly. Simmer on low heat for a few minutes, while stirring, until desired thickness has evolved.
5) Immediately transfer your mixture to prepared pans. Spread out evenly with a spatula or spoon, making sure any air bubbles are popped. Let it chill on the countertop while you make your topping.
6) Next you will make your topping by heating the desiccated coconut in a pan over medium-low heat. Stir often to avoid burning your coconut. Once it is a nice brown color, remove coconut from the heat.
7) Sprinkle the browned coconut evenly over your dish.
8) Once cooled, place your dish in the refrigerator for a minimum of one hour. This will help it set and come together.
9) Serve cold, cut into squares.
What Should it Taste Like?
There is no "one flavor rules them all," but we did enjoy certain aspects of our final result. The medley of cornstarch and milk should hold firm (it should not be runny). This should become even more-so after refrigerated. The crunchy, sweet corn kernels should contrast the smooth, creamy texture of the filling nicely.
We found that over-caramelizing (overheating) the flaky coconut layer made the exterior overly tough and unappetizing. A slight brown coconut flavor will retain some of its chewy texture while still providing those caramel end products.
We also found that unadulterated (full fat) milks resulted in a more delicious product (for obvious reasons).
Some History
Where did this unique dish originate? Maja blanca is thought to be a variant of the Spanish "manjar blanco" desserts, a set of milk-based delicacies that have interwoven themselves in just about every culture out there.
While some use this name interchangeably with the well known "dulce de leche," there is heavy controversy over whether distinctions exist. Spain, the UK, and countless European and South American countries all have variations that provide their own unique ingredients.
Concluding
Six ingredients, no baking, and it tastes delicious?
Yup.
We recommend trying our baseline maja blanca recipe first before going crazy with ingredients. There's a reason this recipe has remained relatively unchanged for so long; it's absolutely delicious.
Let us know if you have any questions, comments, or potential new variants.
Cheers,
Kristina