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Make my authentic Muhallabia!
Muhallabia, also spelled Muhallebi, Mahalabiyeh and Mahalabia, is a milk pudding made with rice flour, sugar and milk that’s popular all over the Middle East, including Lebanon, where my family is from. Traditionally, it’s made with rice flour, but these days, cornstarch is more common since it’s cheaper and easier to find—and honestly, it works just as well.
Muhallabia, which tastes like a sweet milk pudding, is a common dessert to serve during Ramadan and I often prefer it over our traditional rice pudding because it feels lighter after a big meal. My favorite part of the dessert though is the decorations that you can get pretty fancy with especially during the holidays. Ground pistachios are a must but if you can find some edible rose petals too, it will give it a perfect touch!
Muhallabia Ingredients
- Milk: Use whole milk for a richer taste and thicker consistency. You can also make it with 2% milk, but the texture may look a little different. You can also substitute as much or as little of the milk in the recipe with whipping cream. It will create a thicker consistency with a richer taste.
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar to keep the color of the Muhallabia white.
- Cornstarch: The cornstarch is there to thicken the recipe. You can also substitute it for rice flour, which is more traditional but it’s harder to find.
- Rose water: This is where the flavor comes in, and rose water is very traditional in Muhallabia. But you can also use orange blossom water, or vanilla extract or almond extract if you can’t find any of the scented waters.
- Garnish: Ground pistachios are very common along with edible rose petals if you can find some. You can also try a mix of slivered almonds, shredded coconut and raisins.
Popular Additions
- Cardamom or cinnamon: You can sprinkle a dash of these on top of the Muhallabia when you’re garnishing and serving them. I don’t recommend stirring them in with the milk because they can change the color of the pudding.
- Mastic gum: This is basically like pine-flavored gum that comes crushed and you can add to milk pudding. It’s a popular ingredient in milky Lebanese desserts like ice cream and custard because it helps create a unique chewy texture and aromatic flavor.
- Fruit puree: Any kind of fruit puree, like strawberry or mango puree, can be added to the bottom or on top of the individual servings of Muhallabia. You can even add a dollop of my homemade jam.
How to Make Muhallabia
My Best Muhallabia Tips
- Don’t stop stirring. Milk can be finicky when heated, so to make sure no curdling happens, make sure to whisk constantly and you’ll get a smooth and creamy texture within 5-10 minutes.
- Add the rose water at the end for a stronger flavor. If you add the rose water at the beginning of cooking, it will dissolve and have a more subtle flavor.
- Avoid skin formed on top of the pudding. The muhallabia will form a skin after it’s been chilled- it’s completely normal to leave that and eat it that way. If you want to avoid that though, press a piece of plastic wrap directly touching the surface of the pudding.
- Garnish before serving. Since nuts and rose petals are popular garnishes for Muhallabia, you want to make sure they don’t get soft or soggy sitting on top of the pudding.
Recipe Help & FAQs
Store it in the fridge covered or with a piece plastic wrap directly touching the pudding to avoid a skin from forming. It will last up to 5 days in the fridge. It’s meant to be enjoyed cold but you can also reheat it for 30 seconds in the microwave if you’d like.
No, I wouldn’t recommend it because the cream will separate when thawed and change the texture and even the taste of the pudding.
If your milk pudding is too watery, try adding a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with cold water) and heating it until it thickens. You can also add 1-2 tablespoons of flour into the mixture. Just remember that it will thicken as it cools.
More Lebanese Dessert Recipes:
- Layali Lubnan (Semolina Pudding)
- Pistachio Baklava
- Date and Walnut Filled Maamoul Cookies
- Lebanese Rice Pudding with Pistachios
- Homemade Knafeh
- Ka’ak il Eid anise cookies
- Ashta
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Muhallabia (Milk Pudding)
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon rose water
- Ground pistachios for serving
- Edible rose petals for garnish
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the milk, sugar and cornstarch, and stir well to combine all the ingredients together.
- Start whisking lightly but constantly as the mixture heats. It’s important not to stop whisking in order to avoid any clumps. Once it reaches a simmer, turn down the heat to low and continue whisking.
- After whisking for about 5-7 minutes, the mixture will thicken like pudding. Stir in the rose water, then divide the pudding equally into eight cups or bowls.
- Allow them to come to room temperature. Place the containers in the fridge for at least one hour to allow the pudding to set and chill.
- Serve cold garnished with pistachios and rose petals, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
I made this yesterday & IT WAS A HIT. I had to add a little cornstarch slurry to thicken it a bit but all in all, my guests loved it so much!
Yay, so happy your guests loved it!! Thanks, Annie!
Where do I get rose water?
If you have a Middle Eastern market nearby, they will probably have it available. You can also order it on Amazon. Here’s my favorite brand: Cortas Rose Water