Natilla colombiana (cinnamon and panela Christmas pudding)

Name: Natilla colombiana (cinnamon and panela Christmas pudding)
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Colombian
Ingredients: 1l whole milk; 180g panela, grated, or dark muscovado sugar; 85g cornflour; 2 cinnamon sticks; 4 cloves; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 25g butter, plus a little extra for greasing; 40g desiccated coconut, lightly toasted, optional; 1 tsp ground cinnamon, to dust

A firm, sliceable milk pudding scented with cinnamon, clove and caramel-like panela, traditionally served at Christmas with buñuelos.

Time30 min plus chilling
LevelEasy
Costabout £0.50 a head

Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.

Estimated nutrition per serving

144kcal
15.4gcarbs
6.6gof which sugars
6.7gfat
4.5gsaturates
5.6gprotein
1.1gfibre
0.1gsalt

A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.

8 servings

Ingredients

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1 lwhole milk
180 gpanelagrated, or dark muscovado sugar
85 gcornflour
2cinnamon sticks
4cloves
1 tspvanilla extract
25 gbutterplus a little extra for greasing
40 gdesiccated coconutlightly toasted, optional
1 tspground cinnamonto dust

Method

1
Whisk the cornflour with 200 ml of the cold milk until completely smooth. Lightly butter a 20 cm square dish and line it with baking parchment.
2
Heat the remaining 800 ml milk with the panela, cinnamon sticks and cloves in a saucepan over a medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the panela dissolves and the milk is steaming. Lift out the spices.
3
Whisk the cornflour mixture again, then pour it into the hot milk in a steady stream, whisking all the time.
4
Keep stirring with a wooden spoon over a medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until the mixture is very thick and glossy and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
10 min
5
Off the heat, stir in the butter, vanilla and coconut. Pour into the dish and smooth the top.
6
Cool for 30 minutes, then chill for at least 3 hours until firm. Cut into squares and dust with ground cinnamon.
180 min

Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.