Muhallabia Milk Pudding
A delightfully creamy and fragrant Middle Eastern milk pudding scented with orange blossom and rose water, topped with crunchy pistachios.
Ingredients
- •3 cups whole milk (720ml)
- •1/3 cup cornstarch (45g)
- •1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
- •1 tablespoon orange blossom water
- •1 teaspoon rose water
- •2 tablespoons crushed pistachios for garnish
- •1 tablespoon edible dried rose petals for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the cold milk and the cornstarch until completely smooth and no lumps remain.
- 2
In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining milk and the granulated sugar. Place over medium heat and warm the mixture just until it begins to steam, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
- 3
Reduce the heat to low, and while whisking the warm milk constantly, slowly pour in the cornstarch and milk mixture.
- 4
Continue to cook the pudding over medium-low heat, stirring vigorously and constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk, until the mixture thickens to a custard-like consistency that coats the back of the spoon, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- 5
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the orange blossom water and rose water until fully incorporated.
- 6
Ladle the warm pudding immediately into individual serving bowls or ramekins.
- 7
Allow the puddings to cool slightly at room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
- 8
Transfer the bowls to the refrigerator and chill for at least 3 hours until completely set.
- 9
Before serving, garnish each pudding with crushed pistachios and dried rose petals.
💡 Chef tips
- Make sure to whisk the cornstarch thoroughly in cold milk first to prevent stubborn lumps from forming in your pudding.
- You can prepare these puddings up to 2 days in advance and keep them covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- For a dairy-free pareve version, you can substitute the whole milk with a rich plant-based milk such as full-fat canned coconut milk combined with almond milk.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished muhallabia should be silky smooth and delicately gelatinous, offering a fragrant floral aroma of rose and orange blossom balanced by the nutty crunch of pistachios.