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Why It Works
- Dissolving the cornstarch in chilly water earlier than including it to the new 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 widespread Filipino dessert that is just 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 can even embody kernels of candy corn, the introduction of which is credited to the arrival of inexpensive canned items. Variations of maja blanca that include 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 purple algae. Within the Philippines, agar-agar is offered 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. Nevertheless, 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 favor to make use of contemporary corn as an alternative of canned, and I wish to roast the shucked corn cobs complete to pay attention their wealthy taste. If contemporary corn is unavailable, drained canned candy corn is a suitable 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.
After you have your elements ready, the pudding comes collectively rapidly on the range: You convey 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 stop lumps from forming), you then 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. Just a few 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).
This Filipino Pudding Packs a Coconut Punch—This is The right way to Make It
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3 1/2 ounces unsweetened shredded coconut (100g; 1 cup)
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2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided; for desk salt use half as a lot by quantity or the identical weight
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2 tablespoons mild brown sugar (1 ounce; 30g)
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Pan spray, for greasing
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2 ears contemporary corn, shucked (see observe)
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2 tablespoons (30ml) coconut oil, virgin or refined, melted
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5 ounces cornstarch (145g; 1 cup)
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8 ounces (240ml) water
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One 13.5-ounce (400ml) can full-fat coconut milk
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5 1/4 ounces sugar (150g; 3/4 cup)
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12 ounces macapuno (340g; 1 1/4 cups), see observe
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Alter oven rack to prime place and preheat to 375°F (190°C). Unfold coconut on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, shaking pan sometimes, 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 totally mixed. Put aside.
Rezel Kealoha
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Improve 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.
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Place corn on ready baking sheet and brush with coconut oil on all sides. Roast, rotating pan midway by way of, till corn is tender and flippantly 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 inside the massive 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 doable, 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 regularly, till sugar is absolutely dissolved, about 2 minutes. Deliver to a boil then decrease warmth to keep up a gradual simmer. Whisk in reserved corn kernels, macapuno, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
Rezel Kealoha
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Re-whisk ready cornstarch combination. Whereas whisking constantly, 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 continually, till the coconut combination is thick and sticks to the edges 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, not less than 2 hours.
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Slice into 24 2-inch squares. Prime every sq. with 2 teaspoons of reserved toasted coconut combination earlier than serving.
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Particular Gear
9- by 13-inch glass baking dish, rimmed baking sheets
Notes
In case you are unable to buy contemporary corn, you possibly can substitute with 6 ounces (170g) drained canned complete 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 made out of a wide range of coconut that has a comfortable jelly-like flesh and comprises little or no water. It tastes sweeter than typical coconut and is usually utilized in Filipino desserts. Macapuno could be present in Filipino and Asian specialty markets in addition to on-line. In case you are unable to seek out macapuno, you possibly can choose to not add it.
Make-Forward and Storage
The toasted coconut topping could be saved in an hermetic container for as much as 1 week.
The corn could be ready forward of time and refrigerated in an hermetic container for as much as 3 days.
Maja blanca could be refrigerated in an hermetic container for as much as 1 week.
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