Muhallabia with Apricot Coulis on-the-Bottom (Easy Recipe)
Food trends come and go, but muhallabia is forever! Lush yet light, muhallabia is a classic, creamy stovetop Middle Eastern milk pudding from Lebanon and the wider region. Egg-free and gelatin-free, it takes just a few minutes to cook and has been enjoyed across the region for centuries. Its origins are ancient, and it is believed that its roots stretch back to early Persian cuisine.
Depending on where you travel, you will likely notice that this dish is written as “muhallabia,” “muhallabi,” “malabi,” “muhalabeya,” or “mehalabeya”—all describing the same comforting dessert!
Why This Easy Muhallabia Recipe Works
If you are looking for an affordable dessert that comes together quickly and uses basic pantry staples, this easy muhallabia recipe is worth adding to your rotation. You can serve it for a casual weeknight dinner or dress it up for a celebratory occasion.
At first glance, this milk pudding may seem too simple for a festive dessert, but do not let its simplicity fool you. The basic ingredients come together to create a deeply flavorful, sublime, and wonderfully comforting dessert.
Because it is easy to scale up, it can be kept in the fridge for a few days, making it the ultimate make-ahead party food. Traditionally, folks in the Middle East used to make muhallabia using fresh cow’s milk. To replicate that rich flavor in our modern world, I recommend combining whole milk and heavy cream to give this majestic milk pudding its signature luxurious texture.
Traditional Lebanese Muhallabia Flavor Profiles
In Lebanon, muhallabia is usually served perfectly on its own without fruit, decorated simply with a variety of raw nuts like pine nuts, shaved almonds, and skinned pistachios. The pudding’s deep, distinctive aroma comes from a winning combination of ground mastic gum and orange blossom water.
However, I was inspired to create this fruity apricot bottom coulis—a flavor combination I had wanted to try for a long time. This custom coulis is made with apricot jelly, apricot jam, and water, and is lightly perfumed with orange blossom water. It sits beautifully underneath the white pudding, creating a quintessential contrast of colors and bright flavor notes. My dream of a perfect apricot muhallabia has finally come true.
Chef’s Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Milk Pudding
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- Add a Fruit Layer: While most people enjoy traditional muhallabieh as it is, adding a jammy apricot layer creates a lovely contrast in both texture and flavor.
- Endless Customizations: You can serve it traditionally with blanched almonds and pistachios, or swap the apricots for other stone fruits like peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries, or mangoes.
- Aromatic Additions: Mastic gum adds an amazing authentic dimension, while a few drops of orange blossom water give it a delicate floral finish.
- Pudding Skin: The pudding will form a thin skin after it has been chilled. This is completely normal and is how it is traditionally served in Lebanese households.
- Chilling and Storage: The pudding needs to chill for 3 to 4 hours before serving and can be safely refrigerated for up to 5 days. Freezing is not recommended as it ruins the creamy texture.
- Fruit Sizing: I recommend finely dicing the apricots for better consistency and easier eating, though larger chunks look highly photogenic. Canned apricots work perfectly if fresh ones are out of season.
Orange Blossom Water vs. Rose Water in Lebanese Desserts
Orange blossom water and rose water are two of the most popular floral extracts used across Lebanese desserts. Both act as incredible flavor enhancers, but they have completely unique profiles.
Orange blossom water is distilled from the blossoms of Seville oranges, giving it a mild, citrusy scent. Rose water is distilled from fresh rose petals and can be a bit more intense. For this specific muhallabia recipe, my personal preference is orange blossom water because it is gentler, but feel free to use rose water or a combination of both based on your taste!
Ready for more Middle Eastern puddings?
- Jello and Mascarpone parfait
- Ashtallia
- Eggless Strawberry Mousse
- Moufataka, Lebanese Rice Pudding
- Lebanese Rice Pudding (Riz Bil Haleeb)
- Meghli
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Muhallabia with Apricot Coulis on-the-Bottom
Description
Spoon into this lovely muhallabia and discover a luscious layer of fruity glaze beneath the creamy milk pudding! It’s quick and easy enough to make any day of the week, yet decadent enough for the fanciest occasions. It’s also perfect for preparing ahead of time for dinner parties and entertaining.
Ingredients
For the Milk Pudding
- 6 cups / 1.5 liters whole milk
- 1 cup / 250 ml heavy cream
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon mastic gum crushed with a small pinch of sugar — optional, but recommended
- 9 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in ½ cup water
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
- For the Apricot Coulis
- 7 tablespoons hot water
- 8 tablespoons apricot jam
- 6 tablespoons apricot or peach jelly
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
- 5 fresh apricots diced. Alternatively, you can use canned apricots. I recommend dicing the apricots for better consistency. I kept them in larger chunks for more photogenic photos, but after testing both versions, I preferred the diced apricots.
For the Topping
- A handful of shelled raw pistachios roughly chopped with a knife
Instructions
- For the bottom apricot coulis, mix together the Jell-O, water, apricot jam, and orange blossom water. Strain the glaze through a mesh strainer.
- Divide the apricot glaze among the serving glasses, covering about one-quarter of each glass.
- Slice a few apricots in half and place two pieces around the rim of each glass.
- Refrigerate for 15 minutes to allow the apricot coulis to set slightly.
- To make the pudding, crush the mastic gum, if using, with a mortar and pestle.
- Place the milk, sugar, and dissolved cornstarch in a large stockpot over medium heat.
- While whisking, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and continue whisking for a few seconds. Don’t overboil, otherwise the cornstarch may lose some of its thickening power and effectiveness.
- The mixture at this stage should have the consistency of custard. Note that it will thicken further as it cools. Add the crushed mastic and orange blossom water, then give it a quick stir.
- Remove from the heat and gently spoon the mixture into the ramekins, fully covering the apricot at the bottom. Set aside to cool completely.
- Cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours.
- Garnish with some crushed pistachios.
Notes
If you make “Muhallabia with Apricots on the Bottom,” leave a comment below or share your pictures on Facebook! I’d love to see your creations! #Hadia’s lebanese Cuisine
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