Manjar blanco

"Natilla" redirects here. For the dessert, see natillas.

Manjar blanco (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmaŋxar ˈβlaŋko]) is a term used to refer to a variety of delicacies in the Spanish-speaking world.^[1] In Spain the term refers to blancmange, a European delicacy found in various parts of the continent as well as the United Kingdom. In the Americas (South America primarily) it refers to a sweet, white spread or pastry filling made with milk. This term is sometimes used interchangeably with dulce de leche ([ˈdulθe ðe ˈletʃe]) or cajeta ([kaˈxeta]) in Latin America but these terms generally refer to delicacies prepared differently from those just described.

Spain

Main article: Blancmange

Manjar blanco in Spain and in other parts of Europe refers to a dessert (blancmange in English), traditionally light brown in color although often colored by added ingredients, made with a mould with a consistency like gelatin (in fact modern varieties are often made with gelatin). In the Middle Ages, the dish was prepared with chicken or fish, rice, sugar, and almond milk or milk and other ingredients^[1] (the dish was probably influenced by the Arab cuisine of Muslim Spain and Muslim Sicily). Today the primary ingredients in Spain tend to be milk, almonds, corn starch or gelatin, and sugar.^[2] The variants in Spain are often somewhat different from those in France or the United Kingdom. In Puerto Rico and Brazil it is a pure white coconut pudding, called tembleque in Puerto Rico and manjar branco in Brazil.

South America

This term is used in Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, (not to be confused with natillas which is a separate but similar dish^[3]), and Chile. It refers to a set of similar dishes traditionally made by slowly and gently cooking pure (normally non-homogenized) milk to thicken and reduce the volume, and gradually adding sugar. In some regions other ingredients such as vanilla bean, citrus juices, cinnamon, and even rice^[4] may also be added. Usually a double boiler of some sort is employed so as to prevent browning of the mixture (which would give it a different flavor). The result is a white or cream-colored, thick spread with a consistency much like that of a thick cake frosting although the flavor is more like that of sweetened cream (with accents of whatever additional ingredients may have been added). The cooking process is largely the same as for creating sweetened condensed milk except that the result is normally thicker.

The simplest way to make manjar blanco is by boiling an intact tin of condensed milk in water for about an hour. On opening the boiled tin, we could see that the condensed milk thickens, darkens and turns into a yellowish light-brown paste that looks like peanut butter (but not as viscous as the latter). Manjar blanco is widely used in Peru as a bread spread and as cake frosting and filling.

Although manjar blanco can be used as spread much like jelly or jam is used in the U.S., it is also commonly used as a filling for pastries and cookies such as alfajores and tejas.

Colombia

Colombian "Manjar Blanco" (center bowl)

Manjar blanco is a traditional Christmas dish in Colombia, along with natillas. It is made out of ingredients like milk, rice, and sugar; which are heated for a long period of time until the right texture is achieved. Manjar blanco is usually eaten with a slice of natillas, buñuelos, and hojuelas, creating a very good combination from the salty buñuelos with the two sweet desserts. Manjar blanco can be found in stores during christmas time, but is also found in stores throughout the year.

See also

• Blancmange
• Natillas
• Buñuelos
• Hojuelas

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} Web Gastronomica de Enrique Domenech: Manjar Blanco Receta, retrieved on 22-04-2007
2. ^ CyberPadres.com: MANJAR BLANCO, retrieved on 22-04-2007.
3. ^ Plural World: Colombian gastronomy
4. ^ BoliviaWeb: Galeria de Recetas: MANJAR BLANCO, retrieved on 22-04-2007

External links

• Blanc-Manger: A Journey Through Time