Simple and easy to make Lebanese Mahalepi (milk pudding) with orange blossom syrup - bursting with flavor!
I've got your mid-week treat!
Lebanese Mahalepi with Orange Blossom Syrup ... AND fig syrup!
GUYS, this is one of my favorite desserts. The way it looks, the way it smells, the way it tastes. Even the way it makes me feel while eating it.
Mahalepi is a milk pudding that is very popular in Cyprus. Cypriot mahalepi is a water and nisiaste (very fine cornstarch) in sweet rosewater cordial. Some people eat it in ice cold water, a spoonful of sugar, and a few drops of rose blossom water. It's really refreshing and usually enjoyed in the summer months.
The Lebanese version is made with milk and cream instead of water and is flavored with mastic resin (mastiha, in Greek). It is sprinkled with pistachios and served with blossom syrup (the pudding itself is NOT sweet so DO NOT skip out on the blossom syrup! trust me).
The combination of mastiha, blossom water, and pistachios creates the most amazing, aromatic burst of Mediterranean flavor.
PLUS, its extremely easy to make. And you can adjust how sweet you want it simply by adding more syrup!
As for the figs, I had a wholeeee bunch sitting in my fridge, so I did some experimenting (I just love when experiments are a success!). YOU GUYS, if you can still find figs in your area, you HAVE to make fig blossom syrup. I'm pretty sure this is my new favorite thing. Figs + blossom water - on top of oatmeal, pancakes, yogurt ... pretty much with everything.
Lebanese Mahalepi (milk pudding) with Orange Blossom Syrup and Figs
Ingredients
- 8 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 ½ cups cornflour
- 1 tsp mastic resin crushed with 2 tsp sugar
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups crushed pistachios unsalted
- Syrup
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 ½ cups water
- 4-5 tbsp orange blossom water
- Fig Syrup: 8 figs skins removed and halved per 1 cup syrup, optional
Instructions
- To make the pudding, whisk cornflour in 1 cup milk until dissolved. Set aside.
- Add rest of milk to a large heavy bottom pot, over medium heat. Bring to a boil, mixing occasionally to prevent scorching. Once milk comes to a boil, stir in dissolved cornflour. Continue stirring until milk thickens.
- Remove from heat and stir in the crushed mastic resin. Gradually add cream and mix until well incorporated.
- Pour pudding into individual bowls or in a large casserole dish. Allow pudding to cool before placing in refrigerator to set.
- To make the syrup, add sugar and water to a medium size pot over medium high heat. Bring to boil. Once the sugar water comes to a boil, stir in blossom water and reduce heat. Simmer 5 minutes. Pour syrup into a jar and refrigerate.
- To make the fig syrup, add 1 cup of syrup to a pot along with sliced figs. Simmer, about 10 minutes, or until figs begin to burst. Gently crush figs with the back of a fork. Pour syrup into a jar and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve cold pudding with syrup.
Hi. I am really interested in making this and love your presentation. However can you please tell me how you managed to present in those individual servings. Do you do it after everything is cold and then you resemble it before serving. Really wanna try it today.
Hi Maddy, to make individual servings, you have to assemble them while the pudding is still warm. Once it cools, it sets and you will not be able to reassemble it (almost like jell-o).
Hi Angelina,
Your recipe sounds delicious! I'm going to try it tomorrow 🙂
Can you tell me how many people this serves with the 1x ingredients list?
Thanks!
Hi Tas! This recipe yields a large amount. It should easily feed 10-12 people
Such a beautiful presentation and recipe! I will definitely try it! Would be be kind enough to share how you were able to put gigs in the glass like that? Whenever I try that it’s a big mess !
Thank you, Sana! To put the figs in the glasses, make sure that your glasses are completely dry. This will help the figs stick onto the sides. Then, slice the figs and press them against the glass.
Great thanks !!!!
i can't find mastic resin - what other alternatives can i use? thank you!
Hi Victoria, mastic resin provides the distinct flavor in this recipe. Unfortunately, there is no substitute but you can most definitely leave it out and it will still be delicious!!