Upmarket Blancmange!

King Solomon sent a message “Give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me” and used those mighty timbers to build the Temple in Jerusalem, and to this day, the cedars are right in the middle of the Lebanese national flag

I have never been to Lebanon – but I did enjoy my Lebanese pudding last week when I went to Orjowan for lunch. So I found the recipe online and made some this week.

Mouhallabieh

INGREDIENTS

· 4 cups milk

· 4½ oz sugar

· ⅓ cup cornflour

· cold water

· ½ tsp vanilla extract

· 6 tsp rose water

· ½ cup single cream

· ¼ cup rose syrup

· chopped pistachio nuts

DIRECTIONS

· Heat milk over low heat or in double boiler. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.

· Mix cornflour in a little water and add to hot milk. Still over low heat, stir until thickened.

· Add vanilla, rosewater and cream

· Cook for a few minutes more and let cool.

· Pour mixture into individual dishes and let cool thoroughly.

· Pour rose syrup over each goblet to cover the  cream

· Refrigerate until needed. Garnish with pistachios.

I didn’t have any rose syrup so I improvised with some grenadine [it is pink and sweet!] I found rosewater in Sainsbury's. This quantity filled six small glass dessert dishes.

“It’s basically just blancmange” said Bob. Well, yes, it is – but it sounds a lot classier when you call it Mouhallabieh, or Lebanese pudding, doesn't it!