Layali Libnan
ليالي لبنان
Layali libnan, or madloo'a, is a Middle Eastern dessert made of farina, milk, and table cream. It's an amazing pudding-like dessert that is served cold. The bottom layer is made of the farina pudding, topped with a layer of table cream, and then a layer of chopped pistachios and a drizzle of simple syrup.
The simple syrup for layali libnan has a bit of a twist. I add a splash of orange blossom water to the syrup and it gives it the perfect flavor, especially when paired with the pistachios.
Many of the recipes for layali libnan ask for fresh whipped cream. I prefer to use the canned table cream. I add a can of this to the farina pudding and use more for the top layer. You can find the ready estha, or table cream, at any international or Middle Eastern grocery store.
My mom would always make this dessert in the summer. It's super refreshing and quick to make. And, it's perfect for a crowd! You can make it in a 9"x13" dish or in individual bowls.
Layali Libnan
ليالي لبنان
Servings: 12 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
Farina Pudding:
3-1/2 cups Milk
1 cup Farina
1 can Table Cream (ready eshta)
Eshta Layer:
2 cans Table Cream (ready eshta)
1-1/2 cups Sugar
3/4 cup Water
1 teaspoon Orange Blossom Water
1/2 teaspoon Lemon Juice
Toppings:
1/4 cup crushed pistachios
Directions:
1) To make the simple syrup, combine sugar, water and orange blossom water in a small pot. Let the mixture come to a boil. Add the lemon juice. Let it simmer for 10 minutes.
2) To make the layali libnan, in a pot, combine milk and 1 can of the cream. Whisk until combined.
3) Add the farina to the milk mixture and mix on medium heat. Continue stirring until the mixture is thick, about 10 minutes.
4) Once the mixture has thickened, remove from heat and pour into a serving dish (approximately 9"x13"). Let cool.
5) Once the mixture has cooled, spread the table cream from the 2 cans on top of the farina layer.
6) Sprinkle the crushed pistachios on top of the cream.
7) Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours.
8) When ready to serve, drizzle with simple syrup.
Notes:
- You can make this dessert in advance. It'll last in the refrigerator for 3 days.