Nights of Beirut
This creamy dessert is one of my son, Tom's favourites. It's sweet, delicious and very comforting. It's great for if you have guests round.
Ingredients
For the pudding:
- 3 cups cold milk
- ½ cups semolina
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tbsp rose water
For the syrup:
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup water
- ¼ tsp lemon juice
For the topping:
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 1 vanilla pod
- 1/3 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts
Here’s how you make it
- Pour the milk into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over a medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, and slowly pour in the semolina in a steady stream, stirring continuously. Continue to stir and cook until the mixture thickens and boils for 1-2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the egg yolk and rose water. Pour the mixture into a serving dish, or individual dishes.
- Allow the pudding to cool slightly and cover. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight.
- Heat 1 cup of the sugar and the water in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
- Cook until the mixture turns golden brown. Remove immediately from the heat.
- Add the lemon juice to the sugar syrup, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and chill.
- Just before you want to serve, whip the whipping cream with sugar and the contents of the vanilla pod until it forms stiff peaks. Spread a thin layer of whipped cream over the pudding.
- Sprinkle chopped pistachios over it. Cut into squares, and serve with the syrup poured around it.