Menjar Blanc 2.0: a Modern Twist on Traditional Catalan dessert

Some time ago I published my grandmother's "menjar blanc" (traditional Catalan blancmange) recipe on this blog of ours — for me, the most important act of knowledge sharing I've done here. Here it is.

Serves: 4 servings  ·  Prep time: 10 min  ·  Cook time: 10 min + setting  ·  Difficulty: Medium

Now I fancied working on a more modern version, because I think improving it is impossible. I wanted to do something to change the presentation — it has to be said that in its traditional form it's hard to present this dessert in an original and/or elegant way.

I thought about making a slightly more liquid menjar blanc than usual, increasing the proportion of milk, and turning it into caviar or some larger spheres using reverse spherification (taking advantage of all the milk it contains), but it seemed too much of a leap for such an old recipe.

In the end I decided to change its texture. To do this, I added a little milk to a glass of traditional menjar blanc, made beforehand following the usual recipe, and added agar-agar to get a firmer texture, which allowed me to improve the final presentation a little by using a silicone mould.

Menjar blanc 2.0

Ingredients

• 250 ml menjar blanc
• 150 ml milk
• 4 g agar-agar (or gelatine)
• A cinnamon stick and ground cinnamon to decorate

Method

Boil the 150 ml of milk and add the agar-agar, stirring so it dissolves well; bring to the boil and strain. Put the milk back on the heat and add the menjar blanc, stirring well to get an even mixture. When it boils again, keep it on a low heat for about 4 minutes, stirring constantly, and it's done.

Pour the menjar blanc into moulds and leave to cool. Since it will take the shape of the mould, the prettier the mould, the better the presentation. If it doesn't set firmly enough and breaks when you unmould it, you can freeze it, unmould it frozen and let it come to room temperature outside the fridge until serving time.

I used a rectangular silicone mould that I love. To present the dish, I finished it with cinnamon (a stick and a little ground cinnamon underneath), as well as grated lemon zest, which adds fragrance and reminds us where the aromas of this delicious dessert come from.

Although I'm convinced that the really good menjar blanc recipe is the other one (that is, this one), both are possible — with my grandmother's and my mother's permission, of course, whatever the chef from Sant Celoni may say.

Since many friends read this blog, I'll take the opportunity to update you on my vertebra injury. As Jorge Drexler would say, "I think I've seen a light on the other side of the river" — and for those of you who aren't into poetry (there are some), I'm now in the final phase of my recovery.

Tips and frequently asked questions

What is menjar blanc?
A traditional Catalan almond-milk blancmange, flavoured with lemon and cinnamon. This 2.0 version keeps the flavour but changes the texture.

Agar-agar or gelatine?
Agar-agar is plant-based and sets at room temperature; it must be boiled to activate. With gelatine (about 4 sheets), add it off the heat and chill the dessert to set.

It breaks when I unmould it. What can I do?
Freeze it, unmould it frozen and let it come back to temperature in the fridge before serving.

How far ahead can I make it?
Up to 2 days ahead, covered in the fridge.

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