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–+ servings
muhalabiah served in a glass bowl and garnished with a wild strawberry, mint leaves and ground pistachio
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5 from 2 votes

Muhallebi - Mahalabia Dessert

Muhallebi (or Mahalabia / Muhallabieh) Dessert is a light, creamy and delicious milk pudding that's popular throughout Turkey and the Middle East. 
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Middle Eastern, Turkish
Diet: Halal, Low Salt, Vegetarian
Servings: 5 portions
Calories: 354kcal
Author: Ayla Clulee

Equipment

  • 1 kitchen scale
  • 1 measuring spoons
  • 1 Measuring cups
  • 1 Saucepan

Ingredients

  • 5 cups full-fat milk (whole milk) (1200 ml)
  • 1 cup caster or granulated sugar (200 grams)
  • 3 tablespoon plain white flour / all-purpose flour (25 grams)
  • ¼ cup wheat or corn starch (35 grams)
  • 3 pieces mastic gum (optional)
  • 2 teaspoon butter (10 grams)
  • berries and ground pistachio (to garnish)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • If using mastic gum, place it in a mortar and pestle with a teaspoon of sugar and turn it into a powder, set it aside. The sugar prevents the mastic from sticking to the mortar and pestle while grinding.
  • Pour the milk into a heavy-based pan and whisk in the sugar, flour, and starch until there are no lumps.
  • Place the pan on medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil, while stirring continuously.
  • When the pudding starts boiling, lower the heat and let it gently simmer for a few minutes until it thickens enough to cover the back of a spoon.
  • Add the mastic gum and continue stirring the pudding frequently to avoid it burning.
  • Divide the Muhallebi into individual serving bowls and let them cool down to room temperature.
  • Transfer the bowls to the fridge and leave them to set for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
  • Garnish with pistachio nuts, berries, pomegranate seeds, or pine nuts before serving.

Notes

  • Keep the Muhallebi - Mahalabia dessert refrigerated, making sure it is covered with a piece of cling film or tin foil to avoid it from absorbing other odors/flavors in the fridge.
  • This recipe makes 4 large or 5 small portions, you can easily adjust the amount of the ingredients and double the recipe if you want to feed a crowd!
  • Toast the pistachios in a pan for a few minutes to bring out their flavor. Finely chop them or blitz them in a food processor to turn them into a powder.
  • Add the nuts to the pudding last minute, just before serving to avoid them getting soft.
  • Grind the mastic gum in a mortar and pestle with a teaspoon of sugar to prevent it from sticking to the mortar and pestle.
  • Use almond milk or coconut milk for the vegan version.

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 107mg | Potassium: 372mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 445IU | Calcium: 302mg | Iron: 0.1mg