Deals through Dec 1, delivered free with PrimeTry Prime free
Martha Stewart blancmange is an elegant make-ahead dessert made with toasted almonds, whole milk, cream and cinnamon, ready in 6 hours 45 minutes. Save this easy dessert for dinner parties, Easter or holiday tables, because it's a simple recipe that chills overnight in the fridge.
Let the almond mixture steep in the fridge overnight, because that long soak is where all the nutty, cinnamon flavor comes from. Cut it short and you end up with a pale pudding that tastes mostly of milk.
Martha steeps ground toasted almonds in cinnamon-spiced hot milk, then strains the mixture through damp cheesecloth. That makes the almond milk from scratch instead of from a carton. She also leaves the mold wet before filling it, which helps the set pudding slip out whole.
What you need for this recipe
Cuisinart 14-cup food processor
It grinds the toasted almonds fine so they give up more flavor to the warm milk.
Buy on AmazonCuisinart fine mesh strainer set
It catches any almond bits so the pudding sets smooth and silky.
Buy on AmazonOlicity grade 90 cheesecloth
Damp cheesecloth lets you squeeze every drop of almond milk out of the ground nuts.
Buy on AmazonShipping adds up. Try Prime free for 30 days for fast, free delivery.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Martha Stewart Blancmange
Course: DessertCuisine: American, FrenchDifficulty: Medium6
servings45
minutes30
minutes620
kcalToasted almonds steep overnight in cinnamon milk, then set with gelatin and cream into a silky, smooth pudding. It turns out of the mold as a pale, wobbly dome that cuts cleanly and melts on the tongue.
Ingredients
4 cups whole blanched almonds (1 ½ pounds)
4 to 5 cups whole milk
1 cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
Sugared white currants, for serving (optional)
Directions
- Toast the almonds: Preheat the oven to 300°F and spread 4 cups blanched almonds on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, then cool them slightly on a wire rack and pulse in a food processor until finely ground.
- Steep the almond milk: Heat 4 cups whole milk, 1 1/2 cups water, 1 cup sugar and 2 cinnamon sticks in a medium saucepan over medium heat until hot but not bubbling. Stir in the ground almonds, move everything to a liquid measuring cup, and refrigerate it covered overnight or up to 2 days.
- Prepare the mold: Fill a 4 to 4 1/2-cup mold, or two 2 to 2 1/2-cup molds, with ice water. Rinse a large piece of heavy-duty cheesecloth in hot water and wring it out well, using a double layer if it is thin.
- Strain the almond milk: Set a sieve over a bowl, line it with the damp cheesecloth and pour in the almond mixture. Let it drip for 30 minutes, then gather the ends and squeeze out all the liquid, and discard the cinnamon sticks.
- Measure the liquid: Pour the almond milk into a large measuring cup, where you should have at least 3 cups. Add enough of the remaining 1 cup whole milk to make 4 cups, and strain through a very fine sieve if any almond bits slipped through.
- Dissolve the gelatin: Combine 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1 cup of the almond milk in a medium saucepan, then sprinkle 2 tablespoons gelatin over the top. Let it soften for 5 minutes, then heat over medium-low, stirring now and then, until the gelatin dissolves, about 5 minutes.
- Fill and chill: Stir the warm gelatin mixture into the rest of the almond milk, then empty the ice water from the mold without drying it. Strain the mixture into the mold, press plastic wrap onto the surface so no skin forms, and refrigerate for about 6 hours or overnight until firm.
- Unmold and serve: Dip the mold quickly into a hot-water bath, or wrap it in a hot, wrung-out towel, to loosen the pudding. Set a serving platter on top, invert fast, jiggle to release, lift off the mold and serve with sugared white currants if you like.
Tools for this recipe
- Cuisinart 14-cup food processor, Cuisinart fine mesh strainer set, Olicity grade 90 cheesecloth. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Amazon Prime
Shopping for this recipe?
✓ Fast, free delivery✓ Prime-only deals✓ Cancel anytime
Start your 30-day free trialAs an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
FAQs
How long should I steep the almond milk?
Overnight is the minimum, and up to 2 days in the fridge is even better. The longer it sits, the more almond and cinnamon flavor ends up in the finished blancmange.
Can I make blancmange ahead of time?
Yes, it has to chill for about 6 hours anyway, so it works well made the day before. Keep it covered with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface and unmold it just before you serve.
What if I don't have cheesecloth?
A clean, thin kitchen towel or a nut milk bag wrung out in hot water does the same job. Whatever you use, squeeze hard at the end, then run the milk through a very fine sieve to catch stray almond bits.
Why won't my blancmange come out of the mold?
It usually needs a slightly longer dip in hot water, so try 10 to 15 seconds and test it again. Leaving the mold wet from the ice water also helps it slide out, so don't dry it before filling.
What is the most common mistake with this dessert?
Letting the milk bubble when you heat it with the almonds is the one to avoid, since the recipe wants it hot but not bubbling. Rushing the squeeze through the cheesecloth also leaves behind almond milk, so give it the full 30 minutes to drip.
This week on Amazon
Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals run through December 1. The picks from this recipe we would check first: Cuisinart 14-cup food processor, Cuisinart fine mesh strainer set, Olicity grade 90 cheesecloth.
See the dealsMartha's 100 favorite recipes, all in one book: Martha: The Cookbook.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
