Belizean Maja Blanca: A Creamy Rice Custard
Experience the comforting embrace of Belizean Maja Blanca, a creamy rice custard that’s a staple in Belizean cuisine. This rice pudding-like treat is traditionally made during the holiday season Las Posadas. This delectable dessert marries the simplicity of rice and milk with the aromatic warmth of ground cinnamon, offering a taste of Belize’s culinary heritage. Perfect for sweet endings or as a cozy snack, this Maja Blanca recipe is a testament to the rich and comforting flavors of Belize.
Recipe Information:
- Prep Time: 4 hours 15 minutes (including rice soaking time)
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
- Recipe Yield: 8 servings
Maja Blanca Recipe Ingredients:
- 1 quart (about 4 cups) rice
- Sweetened Condensed Milk (to taste)
- Ground cinnamon (for garnishing)
- 6 cups water (for blending and cooking)
- A thin piece of cloth for straining
How to make Belizean Maja Blanca Recipe:
- Prep the Rice: Soak the rice in water for a minimum of four hours to soften, soaking overnight is better.
- Grind the Rice: After soaking, drain the rice and grind until fine. In Belize, this is done with a hand-cranked spice grinder. A blender or food processor can be used but the texture will be different. Grind the rice until it is smooth.
- Dissolve the rice paste into about six cups of water.
- Strain the Mixture: Use a thin cloth to strain the rice mixture, if the mixture is too thick it won’t strain well, so you may need a little more water, ensuring a smooth consistency.
- Cook the Mixture: In a medium stock pot, cook the mixture on medium heat for approximately 30 minutes, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a pudding-like consistency.
- Final Touches: Add milk to your taste preference, stirring it into the thickened rice mixture. Do not stop stirring until it’s done. When it is ready the thickness of the mixture will support a mixing spoon. The spoon should be able to stand on its own in the mixture.
- Serve: Spoon the Maja Blanca into dessert bowls. Sprinkle the top with ground cinnamon for a fragrant finish.
Nutritional Information (per serving, based on 8 servings):
- Calories: Approximately 150-200 kcal (varies with the amount of milk added)
- Fat: 2g (varies with the type of milk used)
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Protein: 4g
This version of Belizean Maja Blanca is a nod to traditional methods, offering a creamy, comforting dessert that’s both simple to make and deeply satisfying. Whether you’re new to Belizean cuisine or seeking to recreate cherished flavors, this rice pudding is sure to delight you.
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Food Processor
Recado pastes built from achiote, garlic, and citrus need a processor that grinds them smooth in one pass. Cuisinart’s 11-cup is sized for the recado batches that get portioned and frozen.
Heavy Stock Pot
Six quarts is the working size for stewed chicken, rice and beans, and small-batch boil-up. Made In’s 5-ply stainless holds heat evenly through long simmers. Joe-picked.
About Joe Post
Joe Post is the founder and editor of Belize News Post. He grew up in Corozal Town, Belize, on the Caribbean sea with a view across Corozal Bay to Cerro Maya. He has lived in Costa Rica, Kenya, England, Spain, and the United States. He grew up cooking alongside his mother and grandmother, and has personally tested the vast majority of the recipes on this site. He started BNP in the early 2000s as one of the few independent Belizean news sources online. Over the years, the food became the stickiest thing. News comes and goes. Food stays.
