Layali Lubnan (Lebanese Nights)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحي

Layali Lubnan is a classic dessert of Lebanon. It is a Semolina pudding topped with delicious Astha and whipped cream, served with Atter, a simple sugar syrup. Ashta is a cream used in many other Middle Eastern sweet dishes, it can be eaten alone served with fruit or used to layer like in Layali Lubnan. This decadent sweet creamy pudding is Infused with the beautiful flavours and scents of Rose water and Orange Blossom water. It definitely is a perfect dessert to serve at dinner parties, just decorate as you wish, using nuts and fruit of your choice. Your time to get creative!

Ingredients

1/2 cup of fine Semolina
1 cup of sugar
1 egg
2tbsn cornflour mixed with 1/2 cup of water
2 Tbsn Rose Water
2 Tbsn Orange Blossom water
3 Cups of milk
Strawberries and Kiwis
Pistachios
300ml of whipped cream

For Ashta 

4 Cups of milk
1 cup of double cream
2 tbsn of sugar ( if you prefer sweeter you can add more sugar)
1/2 cup of cornflour mixed with 1/2 cup of water
6 pieces of White bread with crusts taken off
1 tbsn Rose water
1 tbsn Orange blossom


For Atter (Syrup)

1.5 cups of sugar
1 cup of water
Juice of half a lemon
1 tbsn rose water
1 tbsn orange blossom

Method

1. In a pot add the milk and heat on medium till warm, then add the semolina and the sugar. Stir well for a few minutes until it begin to thicken.

2. The beat the egg and add, followed by the cornflour, cook again for about 5 minutes, keep stirring to avoid lumps.

3. When it has nicely thicken turn off heat and add the rose water and orange blossom.
4. Pour into a dish and leave to cool. ( You can if you wish pour into individual bowls)

5. Now to make the Ashta, in a pot add the milk, double cream, sugar and cornflour, stir well.
6. Take the bread and cut into small pieces.

7. Add the bread to the pot and stir.

8. Mix until it becomes thick. Turn off heat and add the Rose and orange blossom water. Set aside and allow to completely cool.

9. While that is cooling you can make the sugar syrup. Add water sugar and lemon juice to a pan and heat on medium heat for about 10 minutes. Then add the Rose and Orange blossom water.
10. To assemble take the dish with semolina and top with the Ashta and then whipping cream.

11. Now adorn as you wish with fruit and nuts of your choice.

12. Drizzle over the sugar syrup and sprinkle with Pistachio nuts.

Serve with more fruit and another drizzle of Syrup

Enjoy!
Bil-hana wa ash Shifa'a.