Maja Blanca con Maiz

Another popular Filipino native delicacy is maja blanca made primarily from coconut milk.  As the name suggests, it is of Spanish origin and means "white delicacy."  Traditionally it is prepared by heating a coconut milk and cornstarch mixture added with milk and sugar until it thickens.  While still hot it is poured into a serving dish and allowed to cool then sprinkled with latik (browned coconut milk curds).


Over the decades it has been adapted to include other ingredients and my favorite, the version that i grew up with, is that which includes corn kernels.  It's the only version i know and it's impossible for me to imagine maja blanca without the corn. 

So in search for the perfect maja blanca recipe i turned to my favorite pinoy cooking website panlasangpinoy.com.

MAJA BLANCA
(Recipe from panlasangpinoy.com)

Ingredients
4 cups coconut milk

3/4 cup cornstarch

1 can (14 oz.) condensed milk

3/4 cup fresh milk

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 can (15 oz.) whole sweet kernel corn

latik for toppings

Procedure

1.  Pour the coconut milk in a cooking pot and bring to a boil.
2.  Add the sugar, condensed milk, and whole sweet kernel corn then stir until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
3.  Simmer for 8 minutes
4.  Combine the fresh milk and cornstarch then whisk until the cornstarch is diluted
5.  Pour the fresh milk and cornstarch mixture in the cooking pot and stir thoroughly.
6.  Allow to cook while stirring until the mixture reaches your desired thickness
7.  Pour the mixture in a serving tray then arrange and flatten the top using a flat tool such as a wooden spatula
8.  Allow to cool down then refrigerate for at least 1 hour
9.  Garnish with latik* or toasted shredded coconut
*To make latik, pour coconut milk (you will need about 1 cup) in a saucepan and cook under medium heat. Stir until oil separates from the milk then miraculously form brownish residues. Turn off the heat, drain the fat and place in a container. 

This maja blanca recipe is a keeper and i recommend that to make it authentic, always (i repeat, always) top it with latik.  I've seen some Filipino stores here sell it with toasted shredded coconut (you can buy unsweetened shredded coconut at walmart and toast it) but they just look so fake to me.  I have to warn you though that if it takes 15 minutes to cook maja blanca, it will take you twice the time (or even more) to make the latik. 

Well, what worth's having is worth sweating for. *wink*