A Middle Eastern dessert, Muhalabiya is similar to the Italian panna cotta but without the gelatine. It's served chilled with a garnish of dry fruits and nuts.

Apricot Muhalabiya

Serves: 2

Ingredients

For the muhalabiya

• 1 l cream
• 1½ l full-fat milk
• 1 cup or less sugar
• 50 gm vanilla paste, available online or in gourmet grocery stores
• 125 gm cornflour or corn starch
• ½ tsp green elaichi or green cardamom powder, optional

For the apricot compote

• 400 gm dried apricots, finely diced (please see the note below)
• 100 gm butter
• 1 pod vanilla bean or 2 tsp vanilla essence

For the apricot sauce

• 500 gm apricot puree (please see the note below)
• 50 gm sugar

To assemble

• Raisins
• Few dried apricots, chopped
• Few prunes, chopped
• Pistachios, slivered
• 2 serving bowls, on large and one medium to small

Method

For the apricot compote

• Soak the diced apricots for several hours.
  Saute the diced apricot with butter and the vanilla bean/essence in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
  Layer the apricot compote on the bottom of one of the glass bowls.
  Keep aside

For the muhalabiya

• In a small bowl, mix a few tbsp of the milk with the cornflour till smooth.
  Keep aside.
• Heat the remaining milk, cream, vanilla paste, sugar in a saucepan over low to medium heat.
  Keep whisking until the milk starts to simmer.
  Stir in the cornflour mixture and whisk continuously till the milk bubbles and thickens.
  It may take anywhere between 3-5 minutes.
  Take off heat and pour the muhalabiya into the serving bowl lined with compote.
  Let it cool to room temperature, cling wrap and refrigerate.

For the sauce

• Boil the apricot puree with sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
  Keep stirring and once the mixture comes to a boil, take off heat and keep aside.

For the assembly

• Garnish the chilled muhalabiya with the raisins, chopped apricots, prunes, pistachios.
  Pour the apricot sauce in another glass bowl and serve on the side.

Note: Apricot is not the only fruit or ingredient that can be used in a compote base for the muhalabiya. Replace the apricot fruit in the compote recipe above with diced mango/strawberry/kiwi pieces and replace the apricot puree in the sauce with pureed strawberry or mango or kiwi.

Orange blossom syrup may be used, or rose syrup too, as an alternative to the apricot compote as well. To make an orange blossom compote: Simmer ½ cup orange blossom water (available online) in a saucepan with ¼ cup sugar and 1 tbsp fresh orange zest or grated orange peel till it thickens.

To make a rose compote: Simmer in a saucepan ¾ cup water with 4 tbsp rose syrup concentrate till it thickens.

To make apricot puree: Cook 500 gm or 2½ cups dried apricots with 3-4 cups water for 30 minutes till apricots are soft. Puree in a blender/mixer till smooth.

Recipe courtesy: Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai.

• RECIPES