Maja Blanca
Maja blanca is a jiggly, milky-white coconut pudding thickened with cornstarch and studded with sweet kernel corn, a dessert that shows up at nearly every Filipino fiesta and Christmas Noche Buena spread. It sets into clean, sliceable squares as it cools, and is traditionally topped with latik — toasted coconut curds — for a nutty crunch against the pudding’s softness. It needs no oven, just patience at the stove.
Watch It Made
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Instructions
- Grease a 9×13-inch pan or individual molds lightly with coconut oil and set aside.
- In a large pot, combine the coconut milk, coconut cream, evaporated milk, cream-style corn, whole kernel corn, sugar, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring often.
- In a separate bowl, dissolve the cornstarch completely in the cold water to make a smooth slurry.
- Slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the simmering pot while whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
- Continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 10-15 minutes until the mixture thickens dramatically and pulls away from the sides of the pot.
- Pour the thickened mixture into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours until fully set.
- Sprinkle with toasted grated coconut or latik just before slicing into squares and serving chilled.
Cook's Tip
Keep whisking constantly once the cornstarch slurry goes in — maja blanca sets from residual heat as it cools, so pull it off the stove while it still looks slightly looser than you want; overcooking on the stove makes it gummy instead of silky.