Blanc-manger (French Almond Blancmange)

Quick Summary: Blanc-manger (blancmange in English) is a cold, set French dessert made from almond milk, cream, sugar, and gelatin, flavored with vanilla and served with a red fruit coulis. It needs about 40 minutes of active work plus chilling, serves 4, and is naturally gluten-free.

What is blanc-manger?

Blanc-manger, known as blancmange in English, is a cold, set French dessert made from milk or cream and sugar, thickened with gelatin, agar-agar, or cornstarch and usually flavored with vanilla or almonds. It is served chilled in glasses, ramekins, small jars, or turned out of a mold, and though it is classically white, it can be tinted in other colors.

The name means "white dish" in Old French, from blanc ("white") and manger ("to eat"), a reminder that it was traditionally made with white ingredients.

Blancmange belongs to the same family as Italian panna cotta, Middle Eastern muhallebi, Chinese almond tofu, Hawaiian haupia, and Puerto Rican tembleque. You can make it in many ways: with whole milk, with or without cream, or with almond milk, coconut milk, or condensed milk, and set with gelatin, agar-agar, cornstarch, or rice flour.

Why you'll love this recipe

1. This easy old recipe dates back to the Middle Ages but is still popular today.
2. Blancmange is perfect for birthday or wedding parties, family gatherings, or entertaining.
3. Using different fruit, blanc-manger makes a colorful dessert at any time of the year.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Almond milk: use unsweetened almond milk or make it yourself.
• Heavy cream: the recipe calls for heavy cream with at least 36% fat content. Replace it with whipped cream (30% fat content) or whole milk.
• Whipped cream: use your favorite brand of whipped cream with 30% fat content.
• Gelatin: use gelatin sheets with a strength of 200 bloom.
• Sugar: use granulated white sugar or replace it with caster sugar.
• Vanilla pod: for the best flavor, use a Madagascar vanilla bean.
• Red fruit: use any combination of red fruit (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries) to make a coulis.

Equipment

• food processor or blender
• fine-mesh sieve
• saucepan
• electric mixer
• hand whisk
• shallow dish
• pastry bag
• serving glasses or small jars

How to make blanc-manger

Step 1. To make red fruit coulis, mix the fruit and sugar in a food processor, leaving a few for decoration (photo 1).

Step 2. Pass it through a fine-mesh sieve to obtain a coulis (photo 2). Refrigerate.

Step 3. To make blanc-manger, soak gelatin in cold water for 10 minutes. Split the vanilla bean in half, lengthwise.

Step 4. Pour almond milk and heavy cream into a saucepan. Add the sugar and vanilla pod (photo 3), bring to a boil, and simmer for a few minutes.

Step 5. Take the pan from the heat, add the drained gelatin to the hot mixture, and mix.

Step 6. Pour into a shallow dish, cover with plastic film in contact, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Step 7. Whisk whipping cream with an electric mixer into whipped cream (photo 4).

Step 8. Take the milk preparation from the refrigerator. Add a few spoons of the whipped cream to the almond blancmange and mix with a hand whisk.

Step 9. Then pour the blancmange into the whipped cream. Gently mix by lifting the mixture with the whisk (photo 5).

Step 10. Transfer the blancmange to a pastry bag with the cut tip and push it into glasses/small glass jars. Refrigerate for about 2 hours.

Expert tips

1. Mix a little whipped cream into the main preparation before adding it to the whipped cream to incorporate well.
2. If the blancmange is "lumpy" after adding it to the whipped cream, continue to mix gently until it becomes homogeneous. 

Blanc-manger variations

This blanc-manger is good on its own, but it also takes flavors and toppings well. Here are a few ways to make it your own:

• Almond: the classic version, made with almond milk as in this recipe. For a stronger flavor, add a few drops of almond extract to the warm milk.
• Vanilla: infuse the milk and cream with a split vanilla bean for a plain vanilla blancmange.
• Chocolate: stir 1.7 to 3.5 oz. (50 to 100 g) of melted dark or white chocolate into the hot milk mixture before adding the gelatin.
• Coconut: replace the almond milk with coconut milk and top with toasted shredded coconut.
• Fruit coulis: serve with red fruit coulis, or try mango, blackberry, banana, orange, or passion fruit.
• Fresh toppings: decorate with mango ribbons, pomegranate seeds, kumquats, apricot, pineapple, or kiwi, and finish with lime zest and a mint leaf.
• Crunchy toppings: sprinkle with toasted flaked almonds, shredded or toasted coconut, white chocolate shavings, or a mix of cranberries and raisins.
• Poached fruit: serve with figs poached in sweet red wine.

How to serve blanc-manger

Serve blanc-manger cold. Pour 1 to 2 tablespoons of red fruit coulis over each portion, then decorate with fresh fruit, toasted almonds, or a mint leaf. It is a light finish to a meal and works for birthdays, weddings, and family gatherings.

Storing & freezing

Store blanc-manger covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the plastic wrap in contact with the surface so it does not form a skin, and add the coulis and fresh fruit just before serving.

Freezing is not recommended. Gelatin-set desserts turn watery and grainy once thawed, so blanc-manger is best made fresh and eaten within a few days.

FAQ

What is blanc-manger in English?
Blanc-manger is called blancmange in English. The name is a direct borrowing from French and means "white dish," describing the classic pale, set dessert.

Are panna cotta and blancmange the same?
They are close cousins but not the same. Both are cold, set cream desserts, but panna cotta is Italian and set only with gelatin, while blancmange is French, is often flavored with almond, and can be set with gelatin, cornstarch, or agar-agar.

What is the difference between blancmange and custard?
Blancmange is set with a thickener such as gelatin, cornstarch, or agar-agar, so it holds a firm shape. Custard is softer and thickened with eggs instead.

What is red fruit coulis?
Red fruit coulis is a smooth sauce made from pureed and strained red fruit. It is a simple way to dress up desserts and is rich in vitamin C and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium.

Can you make blancmange in advance?
Yes. Blanc-manger needs several hours to set, so it is ideal to make a day ahead. Keep it covered in the fridge and add the coulis and fresh fruit just before serving.

Love easy desserts? Try these next!

• French Chocolate Mousse
• French Rice Pudding
• Banoffee Pie Cups
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The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.