Microwave Blancmange Recipes

MICROWAVE BLANCMANGE

Steps:

• Combine milk, cornstarch, salt, and sugar in a 4 cup microwave safe bowl. Mix until sugar and cornstarch are dissolved. Cook in microwave on high until the mixture starts to foam up. Stir, then continue to cook, stirring at intervals, until it becomes thick and smooth. Remove from microwave and add butter and vanilla, stirring well, then pour into serving dishes. May be served warm or cold.
• NOTE: Sugar substitute may be used in place of sugar but should be added with the vanilla after removal from the microwave. Butter is not necessary but gives it a richer flavor. If cooked too long, mixture will lose thickness.

VANILLA BLANCMANGE

Steps:

• Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a saucepan. Slowly add milk while stirring. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract and pour into four 1/2-cup custard cups. Refrigerate until thickened, about 1 hour.

BLANCMANGE

Steps:

• Mix the cornstarch, sugar, and salt with 1/4 cup of cold milk.
• In a small pot, heat the remaining milk over low heat (Do not boil!).
• While whisking, slowly add the cold milk mixture to the heated milk, stirring constantly, in a heavy bottomed pan or a double boiler.
• Continue to cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for 15 minutes until the raw taste of the cornstarch disappears and it thickens. (Do not boil!). It will thicken all at once at the end of the cooking time.
• Let cool, then add the vanilla.
• Cover and chill.
• For Chocolate Blancmange, when you heat the milk, add 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate and stir until smooth.
• Can pour into decorative 1/4-1/2 cup dishes.

BLANC-MANGER

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with ice cubes and cold water. Have ready a smaller bowl that fits into the ice-water bath.
• Whip cream until it holds soft peaks. Refrigerate.
• Bring milk, almonds and sugar to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to make certain the sugar dissolves. While milk heats, put gelatin and 3 tablespoons cold water in a microwave-safe bowl or a saucepan. When the gelatin is soft and spongy - it should take about 2 minutes - heat it in a microwave oven for 15 seconds (or cook it over low heat to dissolve). Stir the gelatin into the hot milk mixture, and remove the saucepan from heat.
• Pour the hot almond milk into the small reserved bowl, and set the bowl into the ice-water bath. Stir in kirsch or vanilla, and continue to stir until the mixture is cool but still liquid; you do not want the milk to gel in the bowl.
• Very gently fold the cold whipped cream into the almond milk with a rubber spatula, then fold in the berries. Spoon the blanc-manger into an 8-inch cake pan that is 2 inches high, and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. The blanc-manger can be covered and kept in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
• To unmold the blanc-manger, dip the cake pan up to its rim in hot water for 5 seconds, then wipe the pan and invert the blanc-manger onto a serving plate. Serve immediately or chill until needed. Serve raspberry coulis on the side.

BLANCMANGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spread almonds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; bake 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack and let cool slightly. Pulse almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Heat 4 cups whole milk, 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, and cinnamon sticks in a medium saucepan over medium until hot but not bubbling. Stir in almonds. Transfer to a liquid-measuring cup and let steep, covered, in refrigerator overnight or up to 2 days. (The longer the mixture steeps, the more flavor the blancmange will have.)
• Fill a 4- to 4 1/2-cup or two 2- to 2 1/2-cup molds with ice water. Rinse a large piece of heavy-duty cheesecloth (if thin, use a double layer) in hot water; wring as dry as possible. Place a sieve over a bowl, line sieve with prepared cheesecloth, and pour in almond mixture. Let almond milk drip through 30 minutes, then carefully gather up ends of cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Almond milk should be smooth; if any pieces of almond pass through, strain through a very fine sieve. Discard cinnamon sticks. Pour almond milk into a large liquid-measuring cup (you should have at least 3 cups) and add enough of the remaining 1 cup whole milk to make 4 cups liquid.
• In a medium saucepan, combine cream and 1 cup almond milk. Sprinkle gelatin over top; let stand until softened, 5 minutes. Heat almond-milk mixture over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until gelatin is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir gelatin mixture into remaining almond milk in measuring cup. Remove ice water from mold but do not dry mold (this will make the blancmange easier to unmold later). Strain almond-milk mixture through a sieve into mold to fill. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until firm, about 6 hours or overnight.
• To unmold, quickly dip mold into a hot-water bath to loosen pudding from mold, or use a hot wet towel that has been wrung out. Place a serving platter over mold and quickly invert. Jiggle to loosen; remove mold. Serve with currants, if desired.

GRANDMA OAKLEY'S CHOCOLATE BLANCMANGE

Steps:

• Combine chocolate and butter in the top of a saucepan placed over a pot of simmering water; simmer over medium heat until melted, about 5 minutes.
• Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl; stir in about 1/4 cup milk. Add mixture to melted chocolate and blend thoroughly. Add remaining milk. Place saucepan over direct heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens., about 1 minute more. Return saucepan to the pot of boiling water, cover, and cook 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
• Remove saucepan from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Cool in refrigerator about 3 hours to overnight before serving.