If there’s one thing Egyptians love, it’s dessert – the creamier, the better. From Konafa – vermicilli-like pastry, stuffed with gooey cheese or soft thick cream, baked then doused with enough sugar syrup to keep a child running in circles for days – to Roz Be Laban, a rice pudding, with scents of mastic and the enveloping flavor of sweetened milk.
Egypt is not a place for the lactose-intolerant.
As a kid, I never liked Roz Be Laban. I didn’t like the stickiness of the rice stuck to the jelly/jello-like milk surrounding it. Eating slower then than I do now, I could not stand keeping this strange sweet gluey concoction in my mouth. Instead, I would choose to have Mehalabia – a plain and simple milk pudding, similar to Roz Be Laban minus the rice. 
Today, I eat both. Passionately.
The recipe below is not a traditional Mehalabia recipe in the sense that it includes lemon zest and a crackling brûlée crust. I could not resist adding a little bit of naughtiness to this old Egyptian favorite.
PrintLemon-Mastic Mehalabia Brûlée
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Lemon-Mastic Mehalabia Brûlée adds a zesty twist and a crackling brûlée crust to the traditional Egyptian milk pudding, creating a delightful fusion of flavors and textures.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (710 ml) of cold full cream milk
- 3 tablespoons (28 grams) of cornstarch
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) of sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of mastic grains
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (5 grams) of freshly grated lemon zest
- Extra caster sugar for the brûlée topping
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, dissolve the sugar and cornstarch in the cold milk, stirring until completely combined.
- Place the saucepan over medium to low heat. Add the mastic grains and lemon zest.
- Stir continuously to melt the mastic and combine all ingredients, ensuring the mixture does not burn. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Once thickened, pour the mixture into individual serving dishes and let it cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until fully set.
- Before serving, sprinkle an even layer of caster sugar over the top of each pudding.
- Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar until it forms a crackling golden crust. Serve immediately.
Notes
For a smoother texture, ensure the mastic is completely melted before the mixture thickens. Use a kitchen torch for the brûlée topping for best results. The pudding can be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator, but add the brûlée topping just before serving for the best texture.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Egyptian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 30
- Sodium: 50
- Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 25
My favorite desserts are the creamy ones. This is heaven :)