Chocolate Muhallabiah, ruby red pomegranates and a whiff of orange blossom

revealed!

Indeed it is the pomegranate! and for those of you looking for me I am in that corner nursing a case of saying too much too soon! well what were the odds of almost all of you getting it right?! guess the family will have to eat some food over the coming weeks, and your recipes will be a welcome addition on our table. :)

Muhallabiah is a very simple and yet a rich tasting Rice & Almond pudding from the middle east. Flavoured with rose water or orange blossom water, and topped with pomegranate and nuts, a spoonful of this creamy pudding can send you into throes of ecstacy, if there's such a thing.

Anna of Morsels & Musings has a wonderfully original and absolutely decadent version of muhallabiah (a muhallabiah mousse) and my version is totally inspired by her. Usually the pudding is primarily made of rice flour and almond meal is added to it, i reversed the order and made a more almondy muhallabiah to go with the chocolate.




Ingredients:
Paste of almonds - 1 cup
White chocolate - 145 gms
Condensed milk - 1 tin
Rice Flour - 2 Tbsp
Almond essence - 1 tsp
Sugar if required


Topping:
Whipped cream - 1/2 cup (optional)

Orange Blossom water/Rose water - 1 tsp

Pomegranate - 1/2 cup

Peeled Pistachios - 1/4 cup

Almond slivers - 1/4 cup

Pine nuts - 2 Tbsp

Sugar Syrup - 1/4 cup

Method:

1. Pour the condensed milk into a saucepan, using the same container to measure add 1 1/2 cups of water into the sauce pan. Gently heat.

2. Add the almond meal and keep stirring till the mixture reaches a custard like consistency. Mix the rice flour with some water and pour that into the mixture stirring all along, the custard will be thicker now, taste for sugar if its not enough add some.

3. Now add the almond essence. Mix well. Meanwhile melt the chocolate and stir that in as well.

4. Take off flame and let cool. The pudding will be like thick custard. Once cool enough to handle pour into individual serving dish, cognac glasses - whatever takes your fancy. Refrigerate.

5. Get the topping together. Boil sugar and a tsp of water, to make syrup. Let cool.

5. Mix pomegranates, pistachios, almonds, pine nuts and the orange blossom water/rose water along with the cool sugar syrup. Chill till you are ready to serve.

6. To serve top the muhallabiah with whipped cream followed by sweet pomegranate and nuts flavoured with orange blossom water.

If colours and tastes could speak this one would speak in a milion dialects! there's the chocolate just lacing the flavour of almonds, and every mouthful comes with the bite of pomegranate, the earthiness of pistachios & almond and there's the pinenuts that remind you of someplace else, and finally heaven... well its the smell of orange blossoms!

My Mohallabiah is off to celebrate Fruit & Chocolate at Meeta's Monthy Mingle.