Peruvian Purple Corn Pudding (Mazamorra Morada)
Mazamorra morada Say it: mah-sah-MOH-rah moh-RAH-dah
Mazamorra morada is a beloved Peruvian dessert made by simmering purple corn with pineapple peel, cinnamon, and cloves, then thickening the fragrant broth with cornstarch. Dried fruit and sweet potato give it body and a gentle, fruity sweetness. It is served warm or chilled, often dusted with cinnamon, and is especially associated with Lima and coastal Peru. Its glossy, deep violet color and silky texture make it one of the country’s most recognizable sweet dishes.
Peruvian Purple Corn Pudding (Mazamorra Morada)
Mazamorra morada
Pronounced mah-sah-MOH-rah moh-RAH-dah
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 20 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: none of the major allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
For the purple corn infusion
To finish
Method
Combine the corn, water, pineapple peel, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in a large pot. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for 40–45 minutes (55–60 minutes if using dried corn), until the liquid is deeply purple and the corn is tender.
Strain the infusion through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, pressing the solids to release all their liquid; discard the solids. You should have about 6 cups (1.4 L); add water if needed.
Add the apricots, prunes, raisins, and sweet potato to the purple broth. Simmer for 15–18 minutes, until the sweet potato is tender and the dried fruit is plump.
Stir in the sugar and simmer for 2 minutes, until dissolved; taste and add a little more sugar if you like it sweeter.
Whisk the cornstarch with the cold water in a small bowl until completely smooth. While stirring the simmering pudding, pour in the cornstarch slurry in a steady stream.
Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the pudding turns glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the lime juice, then remove from the heat.
Cool for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice; the pudding will thicken further as it cools. Serve warm or chilled, dusted with ground cinnamon.
Regional variants
Some cooks add diced apple or quince along with the sweet potato, and some like a little orange zest in the infusion. In Peru, it is commonly served with picarones.
Cook's notes
- Stir the cornstarch slurry again just before adding it so it does not settle at the bottom of the bowl.
- The pudding thickens considerably as it cools; if it becomes too firm, loosen it with a splash of hot water.
- Wash the pineapple peel well before simmering, since it gives much of the fruity aroma to the infusion.
Serve with
Serve warm or chilled, dusted with cinnamon; in Peru it is often paired with picarones.
Make ahead and storage
Keeps in the refrigerator up to 4 days; stir in a little water when reheating, as it thickens on standing.
