Majarete (Dominican corn pudding) is one of our most cherished and delicious desserts. Traditionally made with fresh young corn, and a little on the labour-intensive side of things, I present you here an easier technique than the traditional one, and useful tips and ideas.
By - Reviewed: . Original: Jan 3, 2011
Why we ❤️ it
Majarete is one of Dominicans' favorite desserts. It is a creamy, smooth, and delectable new corn pudding, gently sweet, and with a touch of our favorite spices. It is also easy and quick to make and will earn you points with your Dominican guests.
Despite its humble ingredients and simple preparation, this dish, so loved in the Dominican Republic, is served on all tables regardless of social class.
What's Majarete?
Dominican Majarete is a traditional corn pudding with milk and spices. Traditionally, Majarete is made from freshly cut young corn, but this is not easy to find everywhere, so I have adapted this recipe for the sweet, raw corn on the cob commonly found in supermarkets.
Did you know that both Cuba and Puerto Rico also have a dessert called majarete? The only thing that Puerto Rican majarete has in common with ours is its name. Ours is closer to Cuba's. Like many other dishes that we have in common, it is entirely plausible that their origin predates the existence of our independent nations.
Curiously, an almost identical dish is known in some countries (Venezuela, for example) as Mazamorra, while in our country, the name is used for a very different dish.
Dominican majarete corn pudding.
Serving suggestions
Majarete may be served hot, at room temperature, or cold, depending on preference. I like it at room temperature. Bear in mind it will thicken as it cools, going from as thick as drinking yogurt to a pudding-like consistency.
Top tips
- Stirring: The main thing you need to know about this dish is that you should start stirring it while the mixture is still cold and stir until you remove it from the heat (and later to cool it, too). This will prevent it from becoming lumpy.
- Corn: While the gold standard in Majarete is fresh, young corn, this is not something we can find as easily in most places. For this recipe, I've used sweet corn as it is much easier to find nowadays. You can also use frozen corn (thaw before you start the preparation), if you have no other choice.
- Cornstarch: Traditional Majarete does not contain starch, as it is made with fresh, young corn, which contains more starch than sweet corn (the starches turn into sugar as the corn cobs mature.
About this recipe
Our Majarete recipe is pretty standard. Dominican homes may add their own touches to it, but it would be pretty similar in general.
I've made changes to make it easier, such as using a blender instead of grating the corn, and developing a recipe that can be made with sweet corn instead of fresh young corn.
Video
Recipe
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Majarete [Video+Recipe] Dominican Corn Pudding
Ingredients
- 4 corn cob, freshly husked
- ½ cup sugar , (white, granulated) (or more, to taste)
- 1½ tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 3 cup whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- Nutmeg , (freshly-grated) (optional)
Instructions
1. Prepare corn
Shuck (remove husk and silk from) the corncobs. Using a sharp knife cut kernels from cob about ⅔ the depth of the kernels.
2. Blending
- Blend the corn kernels together with the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon powder, milk, salt, and half a cup of water. Pass the mixture through a strain and keep the liquid (discard the solid parts).
3. Making the pudding
- Pour the blended mixture into a 3 quart [3 lt] saucepan. Add the cinnamon sticks. Cook over over medium heat stirring constantly to avoid sticking. When it thickens to the consistency of drinkable yogurt remove from the heat (15 mins approx). Taste and stir in sugar to taste if you find it necessary.
4. Cool the pudding
- Place the pot into another pot containing cold water (as in the video), stir until the pudding cools down (this will prevent a crust from forming).
5. Serve
- Pour into small bowls or ice cream glasses. Sprinkle with a small amount of nutmeg on the bowls. If you prefer, 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 recipes
Corn (maize) was an important crop for the Taino, and our island introduced Europeans to its wonders and usefulness. Unsurprisingly, we have many corn recipes. Among our favorites, Arepa dominicana is another favorite dessert, as is Pan de maíz. Arroz con maíz is a popular side dish, as is Arepitas de maíz.
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