Sicilian biancomangiare is a delicate, creamy dessert made from milk, sugar, and cornstarch, often flavored with lemon zest, vanilla, or almond. This traditional pudding, whose name means “white food,” is known for its silky texture and light, refreshing taste. Often garnished with cinnamon or chopped pistachios, biancomangiare is a simple yet elegant treat deeply rooted in Sicily’s culinary heritage.
Sicilian Biancomangiare
Equipment
- 4 crème caramel molds
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 5 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 lemon (zest only, cut into large chunks)
- 1 pod fresh vanilla
- almonds, flaked, or chocolate curls to garnish
- cinnamon to garnish
Instructions
- Start by putting 1-1/2 cups of milk in a thick-bottomed saucepan, together with the sugar, the vanilla, and lemon zest. Place the saucepan on a gentle heat and bring it to a boil. In the meantime, dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining cold milk (1/2 cup), stirring with a teaspoon until it has completely dissolved.
- When the milk boils, pour the milk in which you dissolved the cornstarch into the saucepan and mix. Remove the vanilla and the lemon zest. Cook over low heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly so that no lumps are formed. When the mixture has thickened, taking on the appearance of a béchamel sauce, turn off the heat.
- Divide it into 4 crème caramel molds, at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. When the blancmange has hardened sufficiently, turn the molds upside down on the serving plate and gently unmold them.
- Decorate each pudding with sprinkles, a pinch of ground cinnamon and flaked almonds. Serve the Sicilian biancomangiare immediately.
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