Balouza muhallabia (orange milk pudding)

This dessert always takes me straight back to those long, sunny summers of my childhood in damascus, Syria. my aunties used to make it when the weather warmed up, and I loved it... light, refreshing, and so simple to put together. The best part? It’s naturally gluten-free!

Balouza might look fancy, but don’t be fooled, it comes together quickly and always impresses anyone you serve it to. And if you ever want to mix it up, you can swap the orange juice for strawberry or mango for a fun twist.

I hope one day, when you make it, it reminds you of those warm summer days and of me sitting beside you in our garden, enjoying them after dinner.

Ingredients

For the milk pudding:

5 cups milk
½ cup corn-starch, dissolved in ½ cup water
½ cup sugar
½ cup rose water
1 cup peeled, slivered almonds

For the orange layer:

3 ½ cups fresh orange juice
¼ cup corn-starch, dissolved in ½ cup water
¼ cup sugar

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the milk pudding:

In a pot, strain the corn-starch mixture and add the milk.
Stir constantly over medium heat until it starts to thicken (about 15 minutes).
Add the sugar and rose water, and continue stirring for another 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside.

Step 2: Prepare the orange layer:

In a separate pot, combine the orange juice and dissolved corn-starch.
Stir over medium heat, adding the sugar, and bring to a gentle boil.
Simmer for about 5 minutes until the mixture thickens.

Step 3: Assemble the dessert:

Pour the orange mixture into serving glasses, filling about 1 ½ cm high.
Sprinkle slivered almonds on top.
Gently pour the milk pudding over the orange layer.
Let the dessert cool and set completely.

Step 4: Serve:

Once set, turn the dessert onto a plate so the orange layer is on top.
Serve chilled and enjoy!

💬 Tried this recipe? I’d love to hear how your balouza turned out! Feel free to share your experience, especially if you experimented with different fruit flavours.

Comments

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