How to Make a Jamaican Style Irish Moss Drink (Plus Irish Blanc Mange)
An Irish Sea Moss drink is a Jamaican style creamy drink that originated during a wave of Irish migrants in the Caribbean Islands. While today it is sold as an unhealthy canned beverage, you can easily make your own healthy, nutritious Irish moss drink at home with this simple recipe!
Servings 2
Equipment
- 2 medium sized bowls (for soaking seaweed, and for straining from pot)
- 1 colander (for washing seaweed)
- 1 medium sized pot
- 1 fine mesh sieve
- 1 spoon
- 1 high speed blender
- 1 Grater (for nutmeg)
Ingredients
Blanc Mange Pudding
- Filtered water for soaking and washing seaweed
- 1 handful dried Irish moss (about 15 grams)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
Jamaican Style Irish Moss Drink
- 1/4 cup cooled Blanc Mange pudding
- 2 cups milk or more, to taste
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey or more, to taste
- Grated nutmeg for garnish
Instructions
How to Make Irish Seaweed Blanc Mange
- Add dried Irish moss to a large bowl and cover with filtered water. Allow to soak for about 15 minutes.
- Once soaked, the seaweed will be re-hydrated and expanded. Wash well, and rinse with filtered water.
- Place in a small pot, and add milk, vanilla extract, salt and cinnamon sticks.
- Place pot on a burner on medium heat and bring to a simmer, then reduce to low heat for about 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, the seaweed will be mostly dissolved. Filter out seaweed chunks and cinnamon sticks by pouring mixture through a mesh sieve.
- Whisk egg yolks in a separate bowl, and slowly add warm seaweed-milk mixture, a small amount at a time so the eggs yolks don't get clumpy. Once you have added half of the mixture, combine all together and whisk.
- To enjoy as a warm porridge-like dish, add some maple syrup or honey, some butter, and some milk on top.
- To enjoy as a cold panna-cotta like pudding, add maple syrup or honey to taste and place in the refrigerator until solidified. Serve with a berry compote on top.
- To use for an Irish moss drink, let the amount needed cool. Store the rest in the refrigerator or freezer until needed.
How to Make Jamaican Style Irish Moss Drink
- To make a sea moss drink, add 1/4 cup of chilled seaweed Blanc Mange mixture to a high-powered blender.
- Add milk (preferably pasture raised and raw), and maple syrup or honey until you reach your desired thickness and sweetness. For me, that's about 2 cups of milk and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup for 2 servings.
- Blend on high speed until smooth.
- Top with freshly grated nutmeg for an eggnog-like flavor.
- Enjoy!