Ashtalieh Cream Pudding
This cream pudding uses a few ingredients that might seem unusual to the American baker. Cream cheese isn’t unfamiliar, but perhaps it is in a pudding. But the mastic powder might be what is brand new for you. It is a resin made from the sap of the mastic tree, with a slightly pine-like flavor and can act as a thickener, which is why you might find it in puddings, such as this. Source it, along with the rose and orange blossom waters in Middle Eastern specialty stores. This recipe as well as the Osmalieh Vermicelli Dessert are from The Lebanese Cookbook
Excerpted with permission from The Lebanese Cookbook
This is my favorite dessert and is probably one of the most common made at home in Lebanon. We usually only eat desserts on special occasions – ordinary meals are followed by fruit and black tea. I use a brand called Puck for the cream cheese. It comes in 7oz cans and can sometimes be found in Middle Eastern stores. Otherwise any cream cheese will do. Ashtalieh will keep in the fridge for a couple of days.
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon rose water
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
- 4 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 5 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ lb cream cheese
- 2 teaspoons mastic powder
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
- 1 teaspoon rose water
- ½ cup pine nuts, soaked overnight in cold water
- ½ cup peeled almonds, soaked overnight in cold water
- ½ cup unsalted pistachios
- For the Sugar Syrup: Heat the sugar and ½ cup water in a pan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add the lemon juice and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 minutes, then stir in the rose water and orange blossom water. Leave to cool.
- For the Pudding: Heat the milk, sugar, cornstarch, flour and half the cream cheese in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring all the time with a whisk until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and continue to stir until it thickens.
- Add the mastic powder, orange blossom water and rose water and stir another 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Pour the mixture into a shallow serving dish and set aside to cool. Spread the remaining cream cheese on top and store in the refrigerator until needed.
- To Finish: When ready to serve, divide into pieces, decorate with the nuts and pour over the sugar syrup.
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