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Layali Lubnan

Two distinct layers that must not merge — a set semolina pudding, chilled firm, and only then the cream.

Vegetarian, but not vegan — contains dairy (clotted cream), dairy (whole milk), honey.

Ingredients

the semolina layer

the cream layer

to finish

Method

  1. TWO DISTINCT LAYERS THAT MUST NOT MERGE: a set semolina pudding, chilled firm, and only then the cream. The finished dish is read by eye as much as eaten -- a pale yellow band beneath a white one beneath green nuts -- and the whole thing depends on the lower layer being completely cold and completely set before the upper one goes anywhere near it. Spread cream onto semolina that is even slightly warm and it slumps into it, the boundary blurs, and what you have is a bowl of creamy semolina. That means a minimum of three hours between the two steps, and the dish cannot be made in a hurry.
  2. THE SEMOLINA LAYER IS COOKED MUCH THICKER THAN A PUDDING. Until a spoon drawn through leaves a trench that holds and the mixture pulls from the sides of the pan -- eight to ten minutes of constant stirring after it comes to the boil. It has to be firm enough to support five hundred grams of cream without compressing. A pourable pudding chills to something too soft to layer.
  3. IT IS POURED AND LEVELLED WHILE PIPING HOT. Straight into the dish and smoothed flat at once. Semolina starts setting in the pan, and a mixture poured when it has begun to stiffen goes in as lumps with air pockets between them, which show as holes in the cut edge.
  4. THE SURFACE IS COVERED WHILE IT CHILLS. Cling film pressed lightly onto the semolina. Left bare in a fridge it forms a tough skin, and the cream then sits on that skin instead of adhering.
  5. THE BLOSSOM AND ROSE WATERS GO IN OFF THE HEAT. Both volatile, and two tablespoons of one and one of the other is a lot -- this dessert is meant to be strongly perfumed. Boiled with the milk, most of it is lost.
  6. THE HONEY GOES ON AT THE TABLE, NOT BEFORE. Drizzled when it is served. Poured on earlier it soaks into the cream and discolours it, which spoils the three bands the dish is for.
  7. The milk and sugar brought to the boil.
  8. The semolina rained in while whisking, and cooked, STIRRING CONSTANTLY, 8 to 10 MINUTES, until a spoon leaves a TRENCH THAT HOLDS and it pulls from the pan sides.
  9. The blossom and rose waters stirred in OFF the heat.
  10. Poured PIPING HOT into a glass dish and LEVELLED flat at once.
  11. CLING FILM pressed lightly onto the surface.
  12. CHILLED at least 3 HOURS, until COMPLETELY cold and firm.
  13. Only then the clotted cream spread over in an even layer.
  14. Chilled a further 1 HOUR.
  15. TESTED: the cut edge should show two clean bands. A blurred boundary means the base was still warm.
  16. The pistachios and pine nuts scattered over and the honey drizzled at the table.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under Lebanon · All recipes