Pistachio Orange Blossom Mahalabia 🍮🇱🇧

Description

Silky milk pudding perfumed with orange blossom and crowned with crunchy pistachios—a chilled Middle Eastern spoonful of comfort. 🍊

Hook
Cook the pudding low and slow, then pour it warm into cold glasses so it sets ultra-smooth with no lumps. ✨

Ingredients

• 🥛 Whole milk: 900 ml (3¾ cups / 30 fl oz)
• 🥛 Heavy cream (or more milk): 100 ml (⅖ cup / 3.4 fl oz)
• 🌽 Cornstarch: 45 g (6 tbsp / 1.6 oz)
• 🍚 Fine sugar: 90 g (⅓ cup + 2 tbsp / 3.2 oz)
• 🧂 Fine salt: 1 g (¼ tsp / 0.04 oz)
• 🍊 Orange blossom water: 10 ml (2 tsp / 0.34 fl oz)
• 🌼 Vanilla extract (optional): 5 ml (1 tsp / 0.17 fl oz)
• Topping
• 🥜 Unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped: 50 g (½ cup / 1.8 oz)
• 🍯 Honey or simple syrup (optional drizzle): 15 ml (1 tbsp / 0.5 fl oz)
• 🍊 Extra orange zest, very fine (optional): 2 g (1 tsp / 0.07 oz)

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Prep the molds
2. Chill 4–6 small glasses or ramekins in the fridge for 15 min so the hot pudding begins to set as soon as it is poured.
3. 2️⃣ Whisk the base
4. In a medium saucepan off the heat, whisk together cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Slowly drizzle in about 200 ml (¾ cup) of the milk, whisking until you have a completely smooth slurry with no dry pockets. Whisk in the remaining milk and cream.
5. 3️⃣ Cook to thicken
6. Place the pan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until steam rises and the mixture thickens to a slow-bubbling pudding—about 8–10 min once warm. Lower heat to medium-low if it tries to boil rapidly; keep whisking along the bottom and sides so nothing sticks.
7. 4️⃣ Flavor & smooth
8. When thick and glossy (it should coat the back of a spoon), remove from heat. Whisk in orange blossom water and vanilla. Taste and adjust sweetness or floral strength with a little more sugar or orange blossom if needed. For extra-smooth texture, pass through a fine sieve into a jug.
9. 5️⃣ Portion & chill
10. Pour the hot mahalabia into the chilled glasses, leaving a little space on top for nuts. Let cool at room temperature 15–20 min, then cover each glass lightly and refrigerate until fully set and cold, at least 2 h.
11. 6️⃣ Finish & serve
12. Just before serving, top each pudding with chopped pistachios, a tiny pinch of orange zest, and a light drizzle of honey or syrup if you like. Serve well chilled.

Total Time

⏱️ Prep: 15 min
🔥 Cook: 10 min
😌 Chill/Rest: 120 min
🕒 Total: 145 min

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