Blancmange is a dessert whose name means “white food” in French.
Originating somewhere in the Middle East, it later made its way to France and eventually spread across the globe.
To put it very simply, it’s milk flavored and set into a solid form.
In France, it’s traditionally made by adding almond flavoring and using gelatin as the thickening agent. However, there’s also a variation known as the “English style,” which uses cornstarch instead of gelatin.
Why cornstarch? It’s said to provide a better texture due to its lower stickiness and creates a purer white finish compared to other thickeners. …Though, to be honest, this is just something I picked up from the edge of a recipe book. The finer details are beyond me.
In any case, as its name suggests, the dessert is characterized by its pure white color. Given how exceptionally white the cornstarch refined by the elves is, I thought blancmange would be the perfect recipe to showcase it.
「First, we’ll mix cornstarch with powdered sugar and dissolve it in milk.」
「I’ll do the stirring. Leave it to me.」
「Make sure to mix thoroughly so it doesn’t clump.」
Following my instructions, Karen and I worked together on the preparation.
「Looks good. Next, we’ll add more warmed milk and… heat it on the stove.」
I turned on the induction cooker and handed the stirring duties over to Karen while I took the spatula. Carefully heating the mixture, I continued to stir and smooth it out.
「Once it’s heated through, we’ll pour it into molds and let it cool. That’s it.」
We’d leave it to cool until the residual heat dissipated, then have Mother use her magic to chill it completely.
「Now, let’s make the sauce while we’re at it. We’ll use cornstarch for this too. It’s almost the same method as earlier, so why don’t you try it this time, Karen?」
「Alright. …Just give me instructions.」
We mixed some pre-made bloodberry jam with water and heated it. Once it started boiling, we added cornstarch dissolved in water and stirred thoroughly.
「This won’t set like the blancmange?」
「No, we’ve diluted the cornstarch quite a bit. It’ll end up with a consistency similar to the sauce made with potato starch.」
One of cornstarch’s key characteristics is its stability—it maintains its thickness even at lower temperatures. Potato starch, on the other hand, loses its viscosity when it cools. This makes cornstarch particularly useful for cold dishes like this.
—Well, anyway.
Once Mother used her magic to chill it, we unmolded the blancmange, placed it on plates, and drizzled the sauce around it. And just like that, our blancmange was complete.
「Karen, could you call Mint and Chocola? Let them know it’s snack time.」
※※※
「White and beautiful. This, we eat? …it’s cute, why eat!?」
「It really does look like snow.」
「Fufufu.」
Mint, who had just returned from the garden, let out a gasp of admiration as she gazed at the blancmange.
Mother nodded with a warm smile, and Karen looked quite pleased with herself.
「And for you, it’s milk.」
「Bark!」
I filled Chocola’s bowl with milk as well. Sitting obediently, he stared at me with an eager expression, practically vibrating with anticipation. Our dog is well-trained when it comes to waiting, though the pressure he radiates silently urging me to say “go ahead” is immense.
「Alright then, let’s eat. Itadakimasu.」
「「「Itadakimasu.」」」
「Bark!」
As Chocola dipped his tongue into the milk, the rest of us picked up our spoons.
Scooping up a bite of blancmange, I swirled it in the sauce before taking a taste.
「Fuoooo! Delicious!」
「…Indeed.」
「This texture… it’s incredible.」
「Yeah, it turned out great.」
Smooth and creamy, with a refreshing chill and a gentle sweetness, the blancmange melted in my mouth. As it dissolved, the flavors of milk and the fragrant berry sauce unfurled, leaving a lingering richness. Even after swallowing, the velvety sauce extended the experience, filling my senses with delight.
「The bloodberry sauce was definitely the right choice.」
Bloodberries, a type of berry found in this world, are known for their vibrant red flesh, as their name suggests. Though highly aromatic, they’re intensely tart and prone to spoiling quickly, making them unsuitable for eating raw. However, they’re perfect for jams. In Sidera, it’s common to harvest large quantities in summer, preserve them as jam, and enjoy them as a winter treat.
We had some stocked at home, and since it was about time to use them up, I’d chosen them for the sauce—and they paired wonderfully with the blancmange.
「The texture is quite different from jelly or pudding. It’s refreshing yet rich, as though it seeps into not just your body but your very soul.」
「It’s delicious! But it feels mysterious. I want to savor it slowly.」
Mother and Mint both shared their impressions.
「Sui, delicious. …Thank you.」
And Karen—
With a proud yet joyful expression, she smiled warmly at me.
「…To be honest, I never really liked corn. The continent relies on wheat as a staple, so I never understood why Alfheim insisted on eating something like that. I thought it was just another example of the elves’ reclusive tendencies—rejecting imported goods and outside cultures.」
Karen scooped up another bite of blancmange, savoring it as she closed her eyes to enjoy the lingering flavors.
「But then I thought about what you said, Sui. About the technique to refine corn starch into something so pure, so white. About the people who accomplished that. And about how it led to something this beautiful and delicious. It’s made from corn, and yet it’s incredible. For the first time, I feel a little proud to be an elf.」
「You know, this smooth texture wouldn’t be possible without carefully dissolving the corn starch. So this is thanks to you, too, Karen.」
I took a spoonful of my blancmange and gently held it out toward Karen’s lips.
「Here, say ‘ahh.’」
「…！」
It was payback for what she’d done during the recent “snowmelt” incident.
Realizing this, Karen’s face turned bright red in an instant. But soon, her expression softened into one of joy, and she leaned in to bite the offered spoon with a quiet “nom.”
「Mother! Mint wants do too! Do the ‘ahh’ thing!」
「Ara ara. Then after that, it’ll be your turn to feed me, Mint.」
「Whoa… yay!」
While Karen and I exchanged embarrassed smiles, Mother and Mint began feeding each other with happy giggles.
「Bark… yawn…」
Having finished his milk, Chocola curled up contentedly and let out a big yawn.
It was an ordinary afternoon—nothing special, yet so peaceful and full of happiness. One of those moments destined to repeat endlessly, but precious for that very reason.
The scene felt just like the lingering taste of milk dissolving in my mouth, accompanied by the soft, sweet notes of the berry sauce.
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