Maja blanca

Maja blanca

Maja blanca con maiz
Alternative names	Coconut pudding, Coconut cake, kalamay
Course	Dessert
Place of origin	Philippines
Serving temperature	Room temperature, cold
Main ingredients	Coconut milk, cornstarch
Variations	Maja blanca con maiz. Maja de ube

Maja blanca (Tagalog pronunciation: [ˈmaha ˈblaŋka] MAH-a-BLANK-a) is a Filipino dessert made primarily from coconut milk. Also known as coconut pudding, it is usually served during fiestas and during the holidays, especially Christmas.

Maja blanca has the consistency of thick gelatine and a delicate flavor, and is creamy white in color.

As the name suggests, the dessert is of Spanish origin, adapted from the traditional holiday dessert manjar blanco, and is thus related to other similar desserts such as blancmange. The name means "white delicacy".

Maja blanca is also known as maja blanca con maíz, maja maíz, or maja blanca maíz when corn kernels are used in the preparation (maíz is Spanish for corn).

Maja blanca is relatively easy to prepare. A coconut milk (not coconut cream) and cornstarch mixture is heated to boiling over a low flame while stirring. Agar (gulaman in Filipino) can be substituted for cornstarch. Corn kernels, milk, and sugar are also often added, though these are not traditionally part of the recipe. Once the mixture thickens, it is then poured into serving dishes previously greased with coconut oil and allowed to cool. Once firm, latik (browned coconut cream curds) are then sprinkled as toppings.