Biancomangiare, Sicilian Almond Blancmange
Biancomangiare, literally the white dish, is the almond pudding that traveled across the medieval Mediterranean and settled deepest in Sicily, where almonds have grown for a thousand years. It is nothing more than almond milk set soft with a little starch, which makes it an easy sweet to bring within the rules: no eggs, no cream, and no sugar. Dates blended into the base do the sweetening, a strip of lemon peel steeped in the warm milk carries the classic citrus perfume, and a slurry of cornstarch sets it to a trembling firmness. It chills for a few hours, so it is a make-ahead dessert by nature. Toasted almonds and a little cinnamon go on top, the plainest and most traditional finish there is.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups Unsweetened almond milk
- 4 tbsp Cornstarch
- 5 wholes Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 whole Lemons, peel removed in wide strips
- 3 tbsp Almonds, toasted and chopped
- 1/4 tsp Ceylon cinnamon, ground
Method
- Blend the dates with 0.5 cup (120 ml) of the almond milk until completely smooth. Dates are the only sweetener here, and blending them into the base means they dissolve evenly instead of sinking, so every spoonful is sweet.
- Warm the remaining 2 cups (475 ml) almond milk in a saucepan with the strips of lemon peel over low heat for 5 minutes, just to steep, then lift out the peel. The peel perfumes the milk with citrus oil the way a Sicilian cook uses lemon or jasmine, without turning it bitter as the pith would.
- Whisk the cornstarch into the blended date mixture until there are no lumps, then pour that into the warm milk. Slurrying the starch with the cold liquid first is what keeps the pudding smooth rather than lumpy once it hits the heat.
- Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and just comes to a low boil, about 5 minutes. Keep whisking through the boil so it thickens evenly; it will set much firmer once cold, so stop while it still pours.
- Pour into small molds or cups and chill until firm, at least 3 hours. Turn out or serve in the cups, topped with the toasted chopped almonds and a dusting of cinnamon.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 150 calories, 3 g protein, 2 g fiber, 45 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
