Biancomangiare Recipe – Simple Sicilian Milk Pudding

Biancomangiare, meaning “white food” in Italian, is a traditional Sicilian dessert. It’s a delicate dish with a panna cotta consistency and a sweet, mild flavor that doesn’t overpower the tastebuds but welcomes a range of accompaniments such as maple syrup, honey, and chopped pistachio. Served with fresh berries, it makes a deliciously fresh dessert that is simple yet elegant!  

Though not traditional, our family preferred to serve this as a warm milk pudding with a drizzle of honey. The flavor reminds me of 'Birds Custard', a childhood favorite!

Image courtesy of Skopp; Wikipedia Commons

Biancomangiare is so incredibly easy to make using simple ingredients and can be served in small individual ramekins or traditionally shaped using pudding molds.

The biancomangiare was a dish prepared already in medieval times during the thirteenth century. It spread to many parts of the Italian South, particularly in Sicily and Sardinia.

Wikipedia

Why you’ll love this biancomangiare recipe

• Biancomangiare is one of those light desserts you can keep returning to. Because it uses just simple ingredients, it is so easy to make and also really easy to pair with a multitude of toppings. 

• It also doesn’t require expensive ingredients, making it a great dessert for a crowd, especially when served in individual cups. 

• You can adjust the amount of sugar used and add fresh fruit and berries for a healthy, quick dessert. 

• It can be prepared ahead of time and enjoyed the next day. 

• The main ingredients are really flexible! See below for some ideas!

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This modern recipe uses almond milk and cornstarch, though you can easily substitute almond milk for regular milk or even water with some heavy cream.

Ingredients

Serves 6

1 liter Almond milk – you can use store-bought or homemade almond milk using ground almonds. You can also substitute almond milk for  whole cow’s milk and a few drops of almond extract( optional!)

200g White sugar

100g Corn starch

Optional: a pinch of cinnamon, vanilla extract, lemon zest, orange zest. 

Method

 1. Mix the cornstarch with a little of the milk in a small bowl to create a paste. 

2. Add the paste, the remaining milk, and the sugar to a small saucepan and warm over medium heat. Add any flavorings at this point and use a wooden spoon or whisk to ensure the sugar dissolves evenly. 

3. Continue to stir the mixture until it has thickened ( it should have the consistency of a bechamel sauce). Remove from heat and pour into serving glasses or pudding molds and leave to cool at room temperature before refrigerating until cold. 

If using a pudding form, rinse the inside of the form with cold water before pouring in the mixture. A silicone form makes it really easy to remove the pudding when it has been set, but you can dip the form in hot water for a few seconds and use a knife to help it release carefully.

​Serving suggestions

Serve chilled with a  sprinkle of ground cinnamon or a drizzle of maple syrup, chopped pistachios or almonds, or some chocolate flakes. 

Fresh fruit and berries add flavor and nutrition to this simple yet sophisticated dessert. 

Storage

Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Variations

The flavor of biancomangiare reminds me of Birds Custard, which I grew up with. When served warm (though not traditional!), it's sweet and comforting and a really easy dessert to make in a hurry or if you don't enjoy the pudding-like consistency when it has cooled.  

Traditional recipes vary greatly! 

Sicilian Biancomangiare uses sweetened almond milk and vanilla bean.  Once hardened, it is turned upside down, sprinkled with a little cinnamon, and served. Occasionally, wheat, almond, or rice flour is used. Sometimes it’s decorated with chopped pistachios, but there are many variations. 

In Sardinia, it’s common to use wheat starch to thicken the milk, and the dish is flavored with the zest of a whole lemon. You can use a vegetable peeler to add chunks of lemon zest, which are removed before pouring the mixture into forms. Or add a little finely grated lemon zest to the mixture. 

I have yet to try it, but I have read that orange peel or orange blossom water adds a delicious flavor that’s perfect for summer!  

 Biancomangiare has a long history dating back to the Middle Ages. It has been developed using basic ingredients, and there is a wide variety of traditional recipes from which to choose. Early cookbooks even list biancomangiare as a salty dish served with chicken breasts. 
 

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