Muhalebi is a classic milk pudding that’s popular across Turkey and the Middle East. Here it’s developed as a Valentine’s Dessert with a topping of tangy, red, pomegranate jelly.
Prep time 25 minutes/Cook time 10 minutes/Serves 6 (plus 6 hours chilling time)
Ingredients:
For the muhallebi:
560ml (2 1/3 cups) whole milk
45g (1 ½ oz) cornflour (cornstarch)
45g (1 ½ oz) caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the pomegranate jelly:
2 red berry herbal tea bags (I used raspberry and pomegranate)
1-2 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
3 sheets leaf gelatine
200g (7 oz) pomegranate seeds
Method:
In a small bowl gradually mix 200ml (4/5 cup) of the milk into the cornflour. Place the remaining milk in a pan with the sugar and gently bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and whisk in the cornflour mixture. Continue whisking until the mixture turns into a thick custard, then take off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour straight into six serving glasses. Cool to room temperature and then chill in the fridge to set.
Put the berry tea bags in a heatproof measuring jug, cover with 400ml (1 2/3 cups) boiling water and leave to infuse for 3-5 minutes. Remove and discard the bags (as you need 350ml [1 2/5 cups] of tea so top up with more water as necessary). Pour into a pan, add 1 tbsp caster sugar along with the pomegranate molasses and bring to a boil.
Soak the gelatine in cold water for a few minutes, until softened. Squeeze out the excess water from the gelatine, add to the hot tea and stir to melt through. Taste the tea to ensure you are happy with the sweetness; if not add more caster sugar.
Strain through a fine-meshed sieve and add the pomegranate seeds. Leave to cool until it reaches room temperature, stirring occasionally.
Divide the jelly and seeds between the glasses of set muhallebi and chill in the fridge to set the jelly for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.
These can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored, covered, in the fridge.
