I am a die hard fan of any milk based sweet. From Paal Khova to Panna Cotta, everything is my favourite. Today's recipe is a simple decadent sweet from Lebanon. Though it is simple in making, it is definitely not easy on the waists. It is loaded with cream and cream cheese. It is a Cream pudding flavoured with Orange blossom water and Kater (Lemony sugar syrup). Delicious! It is also known as the Lebanese Pannacotta!
When it comes to desserts and Sweets, the Arabic and the Mediterranean cuisine surpasses every other cuisine in the World. May be I am biased, mainly because it is more close to the Indian sweet palette and also since they have more depth and richness in their flavour and texture. Mastic, a Greek edible gum variety is very commonly used in these regions. Apart from adding the rubbery texture, it also has pine and licorice mix flavour to it. It has a very unique flavour and it is used in making Ice cream - Éma, Jams and Preserves, Mehalabia (Milk Pudding) and even in Egyptian Savoury dishes. I read that only Egyptians use Mastica in their savoury dishes as well.
This dessert is a wonderful way to use Gondh. Even though it didn't get the authentic flavour which Mastica could have imparted, this is a close replica that I could make. So, I would not call this authentic Ashtalieh but Almost-Ashtalieh!
Ashtalieh | Lebanese Pudding
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Sinfully rich, Lebanese Cream Pudding
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Lebanese
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 3.5 cups Milk
- ½ cup Cream
- 4 tablespoon Corn starch
- 2-3 teaspoon powdered Gondh | Edible gum 1
- 2 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Orange Blossom water
- 1 teaspoon Rose water optional
- 85 gms Cream cheese 1
- ¼ cup crushed pine nuts and Pistachios
Kater | Qatar | Sugar Syrup
- 2 cups Water
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 no's Star anise
- ½ inch Cinnamon stick
Instructions
- Add milk, cream, corn starch and Edible gum in a saucepan. Mix them well. Heat this on a medium flame and keep stirring it frequently so as to avoid lumps.
- After about 12 minutes when the mixture starts to thicken, add the orange blossom water and Rose water. Stir it and keep it on the flame until the consistency is of a ribbon flow.
- Turn off the flame, cool and then transfer it to bowl or to an individual serving bowl and refrigerate it for a minimum of 3 hours. Then serve it chilled.
Kater | Qatar | Sugar Syrup
- Simultaneously in another saucepan, add, sugar, water, star anise and cinnamon and lime juice. Bring to boil the sugar syrup and reduce it to a medium flame. Keep it on the stove until the sugar mixture thickens.
Serving
- While serving, top it off with crushed nuts and Kater.
Recipe Notes
- The original recipe calls for Mastic, an edible gum variety used in the Greek Cuisine. You can substitute this with Gondh. Please use Mastica, if you can get it.
- This recipe can be made without Cream cheese. I am not sure which is the authentic way but it should definitely have cream in it as it is a Cream Pudding. 3. Additionally, you can also serve this with any fruit compote to give it a variation.
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Priya Srinivasan says
oops i forgot to read the recipe, staring at the pics!! beautiful nisha!! pudding looks delicious, we too love milk-based sweets, from paal khova - pannacotta! 🙂
Priya Suresh says
Omg, this Lebanese pudding looks very delicious and stunning. Very tempting.
Chef Mireille says
wow - this pudding sounds so luxurious and delicious
Srivalli says
Must agree the pictures justify the way you have described!..so sinful and inviting..
Archana Potdar says
WOw Nisha I am in love with this ashtalieh. WIsh I can indulge it it right now. Bookmarking.
Usha says
Pudding looks rich and creamy. Lovely setup!
Harini-Jaya R says
Lovely clicks for the exotic name n ingredients 🙂
Sharmila- The Happie Friends Potpourri corner says
I am just staring at the pics.. Awsome Pudding!!
Gayathri Kumar says
That sounds like a delicious rich pudding. Looks superb!!
Srividhya Gopalakrishnan says
wow.. awesome clicks and your props.. seriously where do you shop man?
Sandhiya says
Pudding looks so creamy and delicious. Love the entire setup, serve ware and the photos. It's really very tempting.
Pavani N says
What a lovely looking pudding that is Nisha. Clicks and props look great.