Blancmange with Pomegranate Coulis
The Blancmange is an ancient spoon dessert typical of the Sicilian culinary tradition. At first glance, it may resemble panna cotta, but in reality, it has a softer consistency because it is made without gelatin or isinglass.
The ingredients to prepare it are relatively few, and despite this, they vary from area to area. The one I want to present to you today is one of my favorites and is specially designed for the holiday table: the Blancmange with Pomegranate Coulis.
The main ingredient is obviously the milk, in this case, almond milk instead of the common cow milk found in other versions, which I love for its delicately flavored taste that contrasts well with the sweetness and slightly tart taste of pomegranate seeds. Additionally, the color contrast between white and red makes it particularly fitting for Christmas lunch or New Year’s Eve dinner.
Preparing the Blancmange with Pomegranate Coulis is really easy: you need high-quality Almond Milk, as it is the main ingredient that gives the blancmange a truly exquisite aroma. To the almond milk, only sugar and vanilla aroma are added, and then it is thickened on the fire together with cornstarch.
Once ready, the Blancmange is poured into pudding molds and left to cool in the refrigerator. When serving, just decorate it with Pomegranate Coulis, as in today’s recipe, but it is also delicious with dried fruits, dark chocolate curls, or colorful sprinkles.
A simple and delicate spoon dessert with a pronounced white color that is particularly suitable for serving during an elegant dinner, and decorated with Pomegranate Coulis, it will make a great impression at the upcoming Christmas dinners.
Among other things, the Pomegranate is also a fruit said to bring luck because it evokes the idea of abundance and fertility.
Regarding presentation, you can decorate and present it on the table in different ways: the classic way is to unmold the blancmange like a panna cotta or present the Blancmange in single-serving jars, a more suitable solution if you have many guests because you can prepare it in advance. In any case, I assure you it will be a great success and you will impress your friends with very little effort.
If you’re looking for other desserts perfect for the holiday table, I suggest
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 6 Hours
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6 cups
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 134.74 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 30.63 (g) of which sugars 19.59 (g)
- Proteins 0.96 (g)
- Fat 1.22 (g) of which saturated 0.03 (g)of which unsaturated 0.83 (g)
- Fibers 1.03 (g)
- Sodium 60.09 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 vanilla pods (the seeds or vanilla extract)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 cup pomegranate (the juice from about 3 fruits)
- 3 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- pomegranate (the seeds)
Tools
- Saucepan
- Bowl
- Hand whisk
- 6 Molds
Steps
Put 1 3/4 cups of Almond Milk, the sugar, and the vanilla pods in a saucepan, heat over moderate heat while stirring continuously with a hand whisk. Separately in a bowl, put the cornstarch and dissolve it little by little with the remaining 1/4 cup of almond milk, trying not to form lumps.
Add the dissolved cornstarch to the saucepan with the almond milk and stir quickly, continuing to cook (over low heat) until it thickens and has a consistency similar to custard. Remove it from the heat and divide the mixture into pudding molds or single-serving cups. Let it cool to room temperature and then transfer it to the refrigerator, where it should remain for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
In the meantime, prepare the pomegranate coulis. Clean the Pomegranate and extract the seeds (How to deseed Pomegranate easily), then put them in a potato masher and squeeze them well to obtain 3/4 cup of juice. Filter it through a sieve.
Put 1/2 cup of Pomegranate juice in a saucepan and dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 1/4 cup, being careful to avoid lumps. Put the saucepan on the stove over low heat, add the sugar and the juice and cornstarch mix, stir well and bring to a boil.
Cook for about 2 minutes until it begins to thicken and when you insert a spoon inside, a film forms. Turn off the heat, transfer the Pomegranate coulis to a bowl, and let it cool to room temperature.
When the Blancmange has solidified, remove it from the fridge and proceed with garnishing. Unmold the molds by turning them over onto serving plates and pour the Pomegranate coulis over them. Decorate the surface with a few pomegranate seeds (or some almond granules). Now you are ready to serve the Blancmange with Pomegranate Coulis! If you are not consuming it immediately, wait to garnish it until the last minute.
NOTES
This is certainly a quicker version of blancmange: originally, it was prepared starting with almonds and sugar, but I find that this way is simpler.
You can increase the sugar dose as desired, I used a little because almond milk is already very sweet.
Almond milk can be replaced with whole milk, but in this case, you should increase the amount of sugar.
The Blancmange can be flavored not only with vanilla but also with orange or lemon zest.
STORAGE
The blancmange keeps in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap for 2-3 days. It is not suitable for freezing.
BLANCMANGE BIMBY RECIPE
Ingredients: 500 ml almond milk, seeds of vanilla pod or grated zest of 1 lemon, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional).
Method. Filter the almond milk well, pour almost all the almond milk (except for a glass) along with the vanilla pod seeds and sugar into the Bimby bowl and operate for 15 Min. 194°F Speed 2.
In the meantime, put the cornstarch in a bowl and dissolve it with the almond milk to pour in a stream. Add the dissolved cornstarch to the Bimby bowl: 1 Min. Speed 3.
Remove the mixture and pour the Blancmange into pudding molds. Let it cool first at room temperature, then in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours.
CURIOSITIES AND ORIGINS OF THE BLANCMANGE
This spoon dessert dates back to the distant Middle Ages: the name “blancmange” simply indicated a dish characterized by the presence of white-colored ingredients, considered a symbol of purity. The Blancmange was a preparation destined for nobility and could be found in both sweet and savory versions (based on milk, lard, chicken breast, almonds, and rice).
It is believed that Blancmange originated in France (known as “Blanc Manger“) and its spread in Italy occurred around the 11th century. We also find evidence of it in the work of Pellegrino Artusi “Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well”. Over time, this dish has transformed into a real dessert and today is part of the Traditional Agri-Food Products (PAT) of three Italian regions (Sicily, Sardinia, and Valle d’Aosta).
