{"id":16193,"date":"2021-10-25T02:49:12","date_gmt":"2021-10-25T02:49:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/familiakitchen.com\/?p=16193"},"modified":"2025-07-24T16:25:42","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T16:25:42","slug":"mazamorra-morada-perus-purple-corn-dessert-from-the-incas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/familiakitchen.com\/es\/mazamorra-morada-perus-purple-corn-dessert-from-the-incas\/","title":{"rendered":"Mazamorra Morada, Postre De Ma\u00edz Morado Peruano De Los Incas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Sweet and earthy, made from dried purple corn and fruit, mazamorra morada is a Peruvian dessert as beloved today as it was by the Incas<\/a> in pre-Hispanic times. The rich pudding, which tastes something like the inside of black cherry pie, is called “purple jelly” in Ceci Oblitas Reinhofer<\/a>\u2019s house in Illinois. It\u2019s one of her family\u2019s favorite postres she makes from her native Per\u00fa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ceci\u2019s husband is the one who coined this dessert purple jelly. He likes his mazamorra served cold, with powdered cinnamon on top. \u201cBut then my son likes his hot,\u201d says Ceci, \u201dand mixed with arroz con leche, all combined, with a little powdered cinnamon on top: half and half.\u201d This mash-up rice pudding and mazamorra is a popular double treat in Peru. It’s called sol y sombra\u2014sun and shade: creamy-white rice (sol or sun) and purple-black mazamorra (sombra or shadow). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s also a lot of work: making two desserts each time, she says. “It is laborioso having to do both desserts each time, but I love to cook. I always have. For me nothing is better than go spend a day in the kitchen preparing a domineguero\u201d\u2014which translates to \u201da Sundayer,\u201d a feast of special recipes saved for Sundays because there is all the time in the world to cook and for family and friends to come over and linger over the meal you make, with mucho amor, for them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ceci, who grew up in Lima, has been making traditional Peruvian dishes like her family’s recipe for mazamorra and papa a la huancaina (check out the one secret ingredient in her recipe that she has never shared publicly before!)<\/a> for her kids since they were born. She says she wanted her family to grow up in the U.S. knowing the authentic flavors of her native country and resolved early on to spend make them her favorite dishes from when she was their age. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201dMi mama me lo ense\u00f1o,” she says of this mazamorra morada recipe. Her mother was a great cocinera, and Ceci inherited her love of cooking and recipes. \u201dMy mother never wanted us to go hungry when we left the house so she She was always filling us up with soups and salads, main meals like lomo al saltado and aj\u00ed de gallina, and then desserts like this mazamorra morado. She believed in three-course meals when we were growing up. This mazamorra morada was made at least one time a month.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now Ceci’s kids have learned to love the dessert too. Success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even their American friends love it when she first serves it to them, she says. \u201dPeople who have never tried it like it. The color catches their attention first. \u2019Is it Kool-Aid?,\u2019 they ask? \u201cNo,\u201d she tells them, \u201dit\u2019s not Kool-Aid. It\u2019s purple, but it\u2019s not Kool-Aid. And then I have to explain about the purple corn, about morado, about how its dried corn, and so on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Purple Corn\u2019s Pre-Hispanic Roots<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Purple corn can be found in the Andean zones of Per\u00fa, Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia, where it is called ma\u00edz morado. Its kernels are less sweet than the corn we are used to, and bigger: each kernel is about half an inch long. Purple corn is also more starchy than yellow corn, which is why it’s useful to let its cobs soak before cooking to release some of the starch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When serving, mazamorra morada can be served with a cafecito or a pisco sour, Per\u00fa’s official cocktail made with pisco alcohol and beaten egg whites. \u201dComo quieras,\u201d says Ceci\u2014however you wish. There is no wrong way to eat mazamorra morada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone loves Per\u00fa\u2019s pre-Hispanic \u201dpurple jelly.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more traditional Peruvian dishes, check out Ceci\u2019s papa a la Huancaina<\/a><\/strong>, her pisco sour (coming soon!), and Susana Bellido\u2019s lomo<\/strong> saltado<\/strong><\/a> and white fish ceviche with red onio<\/strong><\/a>n and aj\u00ed<\/strong><\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready to Make Per\u00fa\u2019s Inca-Inspired Mazamorra Morada?<\/h2>\n\n\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\"Mazamorra\t\t\t\t
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\n\t \n\t \t\n \n <\/svg>\n\t Print<\/span>\n\t <\/a>\n\t <\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Mazamorra Morada, Peru\u2019s Beloved Purple-Corn Dessert From the Incas<\/h2>\n\n
\n \t\t \t\t\tRecipe by Cecilia Oblitas Reinhofer<\/span>\n \t\t\n
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  • <\/li>
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  • <\/li><\/ul>4.3<\/small> from<\/small> 6<\/small> votes<\/small><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/em>\n\t\t\t<\/div> <\/div>\n\t\t
    \n Cuisine: Peruvian<\/mark><\/span> <\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t
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    <\/span>Servings<\/span>

    8<\/p>servings<\/span><\/div>

    <\/span>Prep time<\/span>

    40<\/p>minutes<\/span><\/div>

    <\/span>Cooking time<\/span>

    1<\/p>hour <\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n \n\t\t\n\t\t\t

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    Ingredients<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
    • <\/span>

      1\/4<\/span> cup<\/span> dried prunes, pitted<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1\/2<\/span> cup<\/span> raisins, large<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1\/2<\/span> cup<\/span> dried apricots<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      12<\/span> cups<\/span> water<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1<\/span> lb<\/span> dried purple corn, on the cob <\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1<\/span> cup<\/span> cubed ripe fresh pineapple, cut into 1″ pieces)<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1<\/span> apple, quartered<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1<\/span> stick<\/span> cinnamon, 3 inches long or 2 small ones<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      3<\/span> whole cloves<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1<\/span> tsp<\/span> ground anise<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      2 1\/2<\/span> cup<\/span> brown sugar<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      2<\/span> Tbsp<\/span> cornstarch<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1\/4<\/span> cup<\/span> water, to mix with the cornstarch<\/span><\/p><\/li>

    • <\/span>

      1\/2<\/span> tsp<\/span> powdered cinnamon, for garnish<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ul>\n \t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t

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      Directions<\/h3>\n\t\t\t
      • Soak the prunes, raisins and apricots in water to cover for at least 1\/2 hour.<\/li>
      • Bring the 12 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. <\/li>
      • Add the corn, pineapple, apple, cinnamon stick(s), cloves, and anise. Simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes, until the purple corn kernels open.<\/li>
      • Strain the purple corn stewed liquid into a large pan. <\/li>
      • Add the prunes, raisins, apricots, and sugar. Mix well to dissolve the sugar. Discard the purple corn. <\/li>
      • Separately, stir the cornstarch into the 1\/4 cup water. <\/li>
      • Add the cornstarch-water mixture into the pan with the purple liquid and fruit. Stir well until it thickens. <\/li>
      • It is ready to serve hot or cold. If hot, scoop it in a bowl and sprinkle with cinnamon powder. If cold, first chill the mazamorra in the refrigerator and then serve it in a bowl, with a dash of cinnamon on top.<\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t
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        Notes<\/h3>\n\t\t\t
        • Mazamorra morada is a lot like arroz on leche (a dessert it is often served with: mixed half and half), in that it can be served and eaten hot and cold. Both are delicious and appropriate. A bowl of half mazamorra and half arroz con leche even has a name: sol y sombra\u2014sun and shadow.<\/li><\/ul>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n \n\t\n\t\t\t