Maíz caquiao, Chacá, or Maíz con dulce is one of those special dishes that in our country serve many purposes: it is a traditional Lenten dessert in some homes and even served for breakfast or dinner in others. You'll love this delectable, comforting Dominican dessert.
By - Reviewed: . Original: Apr 3, 2003
Why we ❤️ it
Maiz Caquiao (Maíz con dulce, Maíz con leche, or Chacá Dulce) can be served as breakfast, dinner or dessert. It is also a popular dessert for Lent in some parts of the country, but it is served any time of the year elsewhere.
What makes it such a popular part of our Dominican gastronomic culture is that it is made with common, easy to find and inexpensive ingredients.
Names and regions
While it's called Maíz caquiao (cracked corn) in the northern and Cibao region, it is "Chacá" in the south. Some people call it Maíz con dulce, Dulce de maíz, or Maíz dulce.
There's a similar dish called Morocho in Ecuador, Mazamorra (Peto) in Colombia/Venezuela, Canjica or Munguzá in Brazil, Tujuré/Tojorí in Bolivia, Chicheme in Costa Rica, the Jamaican Hominy Porridge served for breakfast, as well as possibly other nations in the Americas (Thanks Layla for some of the info).
Chacá (Dominican hominy dessert).
Serving suggestions
While this is most commonly served as dessert, you can make a less-sweet version to serve as a type of breakfast porridge. Adjust sugar to your taste.
Top tips
- Cracked corn: This is the cracked corn [Amazon affiliate link] that would work for this dish.
- Substitutions: I have found that maíz para mazamorra (a South American dish) is exactly the same as the corn used for this dish. Check out stores catering to the South American community and you may find it.
- Raisins: I like a mixture of raisins and sultanas for this dish. It doesn't change the taste, so pick whichever you prefer.
- Consistency: The consistency of this dish is a matter of taste. While purists will aim for a thick, creamy one, my taste is for a less thick one (more like soup). My solution is just to add more milk and adjust the sugar once it's chilled.
- Adding rice: Rice is optional. This is how my mother made it, but it is not the most popular version. Leave it out if you wish.
About our recipe
In the Dominican Republic, this is traditionally prepared using dry corn, the skin removed by mixing the corn with hot ash and pounding the corn in a big mortar until the skin loosens. The corn is then washed and boiled for a few hours until tender.
Needless to say, that takes a great deal of time. I simply use cracked corn that I buy in the supermarket. I may be all about frugality and doingitmyselfness, but I am sure my neighbors will not appreciate my starting a fire to obtain hot ashes.
How does your family make it and call it? Let me know in the comments!
Video
Recipe
This awesome free recipe contains Amazon affiliate links, we receive a small commission from any purchase you make at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!
Maiz Caquiao or Chaca [Video+Recipe] Sweet Cracked Corn w. Milk
Ingredients
- 1 cup chacá (hominy cracked corn)
- ¾ cup sugar (white, granulated), (may need more to taste)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tablespoon cloves
- 1 tablespoon salted butter, (optional)
- ¼ cup rice, (optional, if you prefer it pudding-like)
- ¼ cup raisins, (optional)
- 4 cup whole milk
- 1 piece lime rind
- ¼ teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
- 1 cascarita de limón
Instructions
1. Soak
Soak the corn overnight in enough water to cover it plus a couple of extra inches.
2. Boil
- Discard the water and place the soaked corn in a deep pot, and add enough water to cover it plus a couple of inches.Boil corn until it is very soft. For this, I highly recommend you use a pressure cooker (it will take 45 minutes in a pressure cooker, and 2-4 hours in a regular pot). If you use a regular pot, keep an eye on it and add water as it becomes necessary to maintain the same level of liquid.
3. Mix
- Once the corn is tender enough that you can press it between your fingers, add sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves, butter and rice.
4. Simmer
- Cook over low heat until the rice is cooked through (about 15 minutes), stir often to prevent it from sticking and scorching, especially if you have added rice.Once the rice is cooked through, add the raisins, milk, lemon peel. Simmer, stirring often, until the liquid is creamy. Add the nutmeg.Taste for sweetness and add more sugar if you like.
5. Serve
- Remove from the heat. Discard the lime rind and the cinnamon sticks if you wish (we rarely do, people just eat around them).Serve warm, or chill before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.
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More corn dishes
One of the oldest foods on this island, corn recipes are popular in our cuisine. You can't miss our cornmeal (ground corn) dishes, like Harina de maíz, Arepa, Arepa salada, Arepitas de maíz, Pastelón de harina de maíz, and Guanimo salado.
You should also try our Arroz con maíz (rice with corn).
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