Argentine mazamorra, also called mazamorra criolla, is a dessert of cooked white corn finished with milk, sugar, and vanilla.
It’s made throughout the country and is especially popular in northern Argentina, where it’s a staple of national holidays such as May 25th.
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Argentine Mazamorra
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Argentine
Ingredients
- 500 g (½ kg) white corn
- 2 liters of water, for soaking and cooking (plus a little more if needed)
- 1 liter of milk
- ½ cup of sugar
- Vanilla bean or extract, to taste
- Cinnamon sticks or ground cinnamon, for garnish (optional)
- Cane syrup, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
- Soak the corn, rinse the white corn and let it soak overnight in the 2 liters of water.
- Put the corn on the heat, the next day, place the corn with its soaking water in a pot over low heat.
- Cook the corn, cook it for 40 minutes or more, until it’s very tender; if the water cooks down, add a little more.
- Heat the milk, meanwhile, in another pot, heat the milk with the sugar and vanilla.
- Combine and thicken, when the milk comes to a boil, add the cooked corn and cook for 15 minutes, until the mazamorra is thick; remove it from the heat.
- Serve, divide the warm mazamorra into individual bowls and garnish with a pinch of cinnamon or a little cane syrup.
Tips
- The overnight soak softens the kernels; the corn is then cooked in that same water.
- Cook the corn over low heat and don’t rush it: it should be very tender before it goes into the milk.
- If the water cooks down before the corn is tender, add a little more.
Traditional variations
- It can be sweetened or garnished with cane syrup.
- Cinnamon is optional: add a stick while cooking or dust ground cinnamon on top when serving.
How to serve
Serve the mazamorra warm, in individual bowls, as a dessert or afternoon snack, with a pinch of cinnamon or a drizzle of cane syrup.
Recommended pairings
- Cane syrup
- Ground cinnamon
Did you know?
The Ministry of Education of Corrientes includes it as «Mazamorra Argentina» among the regional recipes recommended for healthy school cafeterias.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's a dessert of soaked and cooked white corn, finished with milk, sugar, and vanilla. It's also called mazamorra criolla and is especially popular in northern Argentina.
Overnight. The next day, the corn is cooked in its soaking water over low heat for 40 minutes or more, until very tender.
Warm, in individual bowls, garnished with a pinch of cinnamon or a little cane syrup.
