This is a unique Spanish breakfast custard that my Puerto Rican father loved as a child and something my mother made for us as we were growing up. It takes patience to whisk the custard for 25 minutes, but the results are very delicious and warming on a cold winter morning.

Puerto Rican Breakfast Custard

cornstarch

salt

white sugar

cinnamon

milk

Whisk together the cornstarch, salt, sugar, and cinnamon in a large saucepan. Stir in the milk to evenly blend ingredients, and set over medium-high heat. Continue whisking and cooking until custard reaches a thick consistency, 25 to 30 minutes. It is important to stir the entire time, or the custard can easily burn or clump. The custard will continue to thicken as it cools. Spoon into bowls to serve.


It is even tastier and creamier if you add 1 egg yolk, whipped separately in a cup with some sugar until it turns fluffy and light-yellow in color.  Then add to the egg mixture, 1 tsp. of vanilla and 1 tsp. of cinnamon, mixing well.  Add some of the milk (can also use evaporated milk instead of whole milk) to the egg mixture, mixing well.  To the egg and milk mixture, add your cornstarch mixing well and making sure all lumps are dissolved before pouring into your sauce pan.  Then pour the remaining milk and sugar into your sauce pan stirring constantly. Salt is not necessary and should be optional.  

We (Chicagoans from Puerto Rico) call this Maizena.  Really good breakfast; like eating hot cereal.

This is sooo good.  I added 3 eggs and enough milk to make the 2 cups of liquid.  Took less time to thicken also.  I had day old cornbread which I popped in the micro with butter and served with the custard.  Wonderful!

Thank you for posting this recipe. I grew up on this and want to make it for my kids. I never got it right till now! I actually cried because it reminded me so much of my grandma that I miss dearly! Thank you!

Glad I found this recipe - I was clearly adding too much cornstarch to mine.  This recipe is really good and almost exactly what I grew up with in my Puerto Rican household.  A couple of additions/substitutions that makes this Maizena (as my family calls it) exactly what I remember - about a tablespoon of butter which will add to the creaminess, and instead of 2 cups of milk, add 1 1/2 cups of milk and 1/2 cup of coconut milk. The light taste of the coconut milk really puts this over the top and exactly as I remember growing up! Delicious!!!

I'm not Puerto Rican but this is the same recipe I grew up on from my grandmother in Nebraska. The only difference is after thickening we would add a little butter to make it a little richer then serve it over toast and sprinkle with the cinnamon. The best breakfast in all the world!! Talk about your "comfort food".

very good, i didn't change anything, will make this again soon, turned out great

simple and delicous. also used an egg as part of the two cups of liquid and added 1/2 tsp vanilla

My 4 year old daughter just loved this recipe she couldn't get enough. We added raisins once the custard was served to add a little more texture. This was a very easy dish to make and will be used again and again!

I'm from PR and I make this all the time, especially now for my little munchkin and he loves it! The only difference is that I've always used evaporated milk and add vanilla extract.

puerto rican breakfast custard

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total: 30 minutes

Servings: 2

Cost: $7.57 /serving

Author : Lu

Ingredients

Instructions

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