A very popular dessert throughout the Middle East, this Lebanese Semolina Pudding (Layali Lubnan) includes sweet-tart cranberries, thick coconut cream, ground pistachios, and a floral-scented syrup. This vegan recipe can be whipped up quickly, then it chills in the fridge until you are ready to dig in.
Ingredients
For the Cream and Pudding Layers:
¾ cup cold coconut cream (* see notes below)
3½ cups nondairy milk (unsweetened or lightly sweetened is best)
¾ cup fine semolina
pinch of salt
½ cup dried cranberries, chopped
2 teaspoons orange blossom water
2 teaspoons rose water
½ teaspoon finely grated orange zest
¾ cup chopped or ground pistachios
For the Syrup:
¾ cup sugar
½ cup water
squeeze of orange or lemon juice
½ teaspoon orange blossom water
½ teaspoon rose water
Instructions
Put 2 cans of unshaken, full fat coconut milk into the refrigerator a few hours before you make this recipe. You want the coconut milk to be cold so that the higher fat cream solidifies. Remove just the solidified milk from the can and discard the remaining water. It should equal around ¾ cup. Whip this coconut milk just like you would whip conventional cream, either with a mixer or with a handheld whisk until it looks fluffy and spreadable. Set aside.
In a large pot over medium-high heat, whisk together the nondairy milk, semolina, and salt. Bring this mixture to a boil, stirring frequently with a whisk so that it doesn't stick or burn. After about 30 seconds of it boiling and bubbling, remove from the heat and stir in the cranberries, orange blossom water, rose water, and orange zest. Scrape this mixture into a 9x13 inch dish and smooth out the surface so that it is even. Allow to cool on the counter for 15 minutes or until it's no longer hot. Once it is room temperature, evenly spread the whipped coconut cream over the entire surface of the semolina. Cover the dish and put it into the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours.
To make the syrup, put the sugar in a small saucepan, then very gently pour the water onto the sugar. Add the splash of citrus juice and turn the heat on medium-high. Do not stir the syrup; just let it come to a boil by itself. Once the bubbles rise to the surface and it has reached a full boil, reduce heat to medium and boil for 5 minutes. Again, you want to avoid stirring because that may cause the syrup to crystallize later. Swirling the saucepan around a few times is ok, though. After five minutes, remove syrup from the heat, swirl in the orange blossom and rose waters, and let the syrup cool to room temperature.
After the dessert has thoroughly chilled, slice pieces of the pudding and remove with a spatula. Decorate these with the chopped pistachios. Drizzle with as much or as little syrup as you want and enjoy.
Notes
-By coconut cream, I mean the thick, solidified cream that settles on the top of a chilled can of coconut milk if you don't shake it together and not that sweetened "Cream of Coconut" stuff that's used in piña coladas. Most cans of coconut milk will yield around ¾ cup of cream but some brands may yield less, so it's best to chill 2 cans, just in case you come up short.
-This recipe makes enough for a 9x13 inch dish. You can also make individual servings like I did in some of the photos above.
-I know ¾ cup sounds like a lot of sugar but remember that the syrup is the main sweetener of this dessert and you'll only need to add a couple teaspoons onto each serving.
Recipe by Lands & Flavors at https://www.landsandflavors.com/lebanese-semolina-pudding-layali-lubnan/