A silky, jiggly coconut milk pudding studded with sweet corn kernels and finished with a scattering of toasted latik. Simple ingredients, but the texture is what makes it a fiesta-table regular.
Maja blanca ("white delicacy" in Spanish) gets its name from its traditionally plain white color, though the corn version most common today adds flecks of yellow throughout. It's a cornstarch-thickened coconut pudding, meaning the technique matters more than the ingredient list — getting the ratio and stirring right is what separates a silky maja blanca from a gluey one.
Latik — coconut milk cooked down until the curds separate from the oil and turn golden and toasty — is the traditional topping, adding a nutty crunch against the pudding's smoothness. It takes patience to make from scratch, but toasted desiccated coconut is a reasonable shortcut.
To make latik from scratch: simmer a can of coconut milk over low heat, undisturbed at first, until the oil separates and curds turn golden brown — strain and reserve the toasted curds.
Lumps usually form when the cornstarch slurry is added too quickly or without enough stirring — pour it in gradually while whisking constantly to avoid clumping.
Yes, it keeps well refrigerated for up to 4-5 days, making it a good make-ahead option for parties — just add the latik topping right before serving so it stays crisp.
Maja blanca is a cornstarch-set coconut pudding, while biko is a sticky rice cake made from glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk and brown sugar — different textures and bases entirely.
