Layali Lubnan

Layali Lubnan — (which literally translates to ‘Lebanon Nights’) is a popular dessert with a semolina pudding layer, topped with cream & served with crushed pistachios & sugar syrup.

Ingredients

Pudding:

1 litre milk

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 cup fine semolina

1 teaspoon orange blossom water

1 teaspoon rose water

Cream Topping:

2 cups thickened cream

2 tablespoons icing sugar

1 tablespoon cornflour

To Serve:

Crushed pistachios

Sugar syrup

Method

To Make the Pudding:

In a large saucepan, combine 1 litre of milk, 1/2 cup of caster sugar, and 1 cup of fine semolina. Whisk well to remove any lumps. Over low heat, continue whisking until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like or custard consistency. Stir in 1 teaspoon of orange blossom water and 1 teaspoon of rose water for a fragrant touch.

Pour the mixture into your chosen dish. Cover with cling wrap and allow it to cool at room temperature, then place it in the fridge to cool completely and set.

In a bowl, whisk 2 cups of thickened cream with 2 tablespoons of sifted icing sugar and 1 tablespoon of cornflour until smooth and slightly thickened.

Once pudding is set, spread the whipped cream mixture over the cooled semolina pudding.

Optional Toppings:

Ashta Option: Alternatively, you can top the pudding with ashta (clotted cream) instead of the whipped cream.

To serve sprinkle with crushed pistachios and drizzle with sugar syrup just before serving for added flavour and presentation.