Ingredients
The pot
- 1.5 litreswhole milk
- 150 grice flour
- 250 gsugar
- 1cinnamon stick
- strip of lime zest
- ¼ tspsalt
- 1 tspvanilla
To finish
- ground cinnamon, for dusting
- grated coconut (optional)
Directions
- Whisk the rice flour into 400 ml of the cold milk until completely smooth, with no lumps at all. Rice flour will not disperse in hot liquid, so this cold slurry is the only way.
- Bring the remaining milk to a simmer with the sugar, cinnamon stick, lime zest and salt, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Fish out the cinnamon and zest, then pour in the slurry in a steady stream while whisking hard.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and reaching into the corners of the pan, for 30–35 minutes. It thickens gradually and then quite suddenly, and it catches on the base the moment you stop moving.
- It is ready when it is very thick, glossy, and a spoon drawn across the bottom leaves a channel that holds for a second or two.
- Cook it two or three minutes past that point. Under-cooked rice flour tastes chalky and no amount of sugar hides it.
- Stir in the vanilla, pour into a wide dish or individual bowls and smooth the surface.
- Cool to room temperature, then chill at least 3 hours until set. Dust heavily with cinnamon and serve cold, with grated coconut if you like.
Technique
- Constant stirring, low heat, wooden spoon into the corners. There is no shortcut and no unattended stretch.
- Taste for chalkiness before you pour it out. That is the test for whether the flour is cooked.
- It firms considerably as it chills, so take it off the heat looser than you want it.
Substitutions
- Cornflour in place of rice flour, which sets faster but has a smoother, less traditional texture.
- Evaporated milk for part of the fresh milk, for a richer result.
Variations
- Bienmesabe in Venezuela and the Canaries are entirely different sweets sharing the name — almond and sponge based.
- A version with coconut milk replacing a third of the dairy.
History
A Panamanian colonial-era dessert whose Spanish name simply means it tastes good to me.
Frequently asked questions
What is Bienmesabe?
Bienmesabe is a dessert from Panama: thick sweet of milk, rice flour and sugar cooked slowly and spooned cold. A Panamanian colonial-era dessert whose Spanish name simply means it tastes good to me.
How long does Bienmesabe take to make?
Bienmesabe takes 15 min of preparation and 45 min of cooking. The recipe makes 8 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Bienmesabe?
Yes, within limits. Cornflour in place of rice flour, which sets faster but has a smoother, less traditional texture. Evaporated milk for part of the fresh milk, for a richer result.
What is the most important thing to get right in Bienmesabe?
Whisk the rice flour into 400 ml of the cold milk until completely smooth, with no lumps at all. Rice flour will not disperse in hot liquid, so this cold slurry is the only way.
