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Blancmange
Menjar Blanc is a smooth and luminous cream, made with gelatin and 300 grams of rice flour, that melts delicately on the palate with a velvety texture.
dessert
traditional
sweet
Ingredients
Servings:
4

Ingredients

  • with gelatin
  • 6 grams
  • 300 g300 grams
  • 150 g150 - 200 grams
  • 1000 ml1000 ml
  • 1 branca1 sprig
  • 1 1
  • 300 g300 grams
Step-by-step Guide

White Food

  • Prepare the menjar blanc the day before to ensure it cools completely in the refrigerator and achieves the desired consistency.
  • Use the correct measurements for 6 servings, and decide whether you prefer to use starch or gelatin as the thickening agent, depending on the desired texture.

Cornstarch

  • Hydrate 6 grams of gelatin in cold water. In the meantime, prepare 300 grams of sliced raw almonds and 150-200 grams of sugar.
  • Place 1000 ml of bottled water or, if you prefer, 1 liter of milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Add a cinnamon stick and the peel of 1 lemon.
  • When the liquid begins to boil, remove it from the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes to infuse well. Make sure it is covered to prevent the aroma from escaping.

Prepare the Almond Milk

  • Boil the water (or milk) along with the lemon peel, sugar, and cinnamon stick in a pot over medium-high heat. When it begins to bubble vigorously, slightly reduce the heat and maintain it for 5 more minutes.
  • Strain the mixture using a fine-mesh sieve to remove impurities and solid aromatics.
  • Add the sliced almonds and lightly blend with an immersion blender, being careful not to crush them completely, as we want to achieve a slightly grainy texture. Then, let it cool at room temperature.
  • When the mixture is cold, cover the container well and place it in the refrigerator overnight to enhance the flavor. If pressed for time, leave it in the fridge for a minimum of 3 to 4 hours.
  • The next day, remove the container from the refrigerator and blend again with the immersion blender to ensure the almonds are well integrated. Strain it again, preferably with a cheesecloth or a clean cloth, pressing to extract the maximum amount of almond milk. If those tools are not available, a fine-mesh sieve can be used, pressing carefully. Remember, we are only interested in the almond milk, not the remaining paste. Easy alternative: you can also opt to buy commercial almond milk from the supermarket.

Blancmange

  • In a saucepan, mix 1 liter of milk with 100 g of sugar and a cinnamon stick. Heat over medium heat until it begins to gently boil. This should take about 10 minutes.
  • In a separate bowl, dissolve 100 g of cornstarch with a little cold water until there are no lumps. Slowly add this to the hot milk, stirring continuously to prevent sticking.
  • Continue stirring the mixture over low heat for about 5-7 minutes until it thickens and reaches a creamy texture. Once the desired consistency is reached, remove the cinnamon stick.
  • Pour the blancmange into individual containers and let it cool at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Then, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
  • Serve very cold, with a sprinkle of cinnamon powder on top if desired.

Recipe-1: with starch (or Cornstarch)

  • Heat the almond milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat and add the starch. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 5-7 minutes until the mixture thickens and achieves a smooth and homogeneous texture.

Recipe-2: with gelatin

  • Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water for 30 minutes, ensuring they are completely submerged.
  • Heat the almond milk over medium heat until it is hot but not boiling. When it begins to steam, take a ladle of it and add the well-drained gelatin sheets, stirring until they completely dissolve.
  • Once the gelatin is dissolved, pour the mixture into the pot with the rest of the almond milk and stir well to ensure a homogeneous mixture.
  • Fill the individual containers with the mixture and let them cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
  • Once cooled, place the containers in the refrigerator and let them chill for at least 3 hours before serving.
Recommendations & Tricks
  • Note: To obtain almond milk, use a cheesecloth to strain the mixture, or a clean kitchen towel. Press well to extract the maximum amount of milk.
  • If you don't have a cheesecloth or a clean towel, use a fine mesh strainer. Press gently to extract the milk without letting the fine pulp pass through the strainer.
  • Easy variant: Buy commercial almond milk at the supermarket to simplify the process.
  • For the cornstarch recipe, slowly heat the almond milk over medium-low heat and add the cornstarch gradually while stirring constantly until it thickens.
  • For the gelatin recipe, soak 6 grams of gelatin sheets in cold water for 30 minutes before adding them to the hot milk. This ensures that they dissolve correctly.