Lebanese Mahalepi with Figs (Milk Pudding) with Orange Blossom Syrup

To make the pudding, whisk cornflour in 1 cup milk until dissolved. Set aside. Crush resin in sugar and set aside.

Add remaining milk to a large heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil, mixing occasionally to prevent scorching. Once milk comes to a boil, stir in dissolved cornflour. Continue stirring until milk thickens.

Remove from heat and stir in the crushed mastic resin. Gradually add cream and mix until well-incorporated.

Pour pudding into individual bowls or in a large casserole dish. Allow pudding to cool before placing in refrigerator to set.

For the syrup, add sugar and water to a medium size pot over medium high heat. Bring to boil. Once the sugar water comes to a boil, stir in blossom water and reduce heat. Simmer 5 minutes. Pour syrup into a jar and refrigerate.

Serve cold pudding with syrup and topped with crushed pistachios.

Note: You can also serve this with fig syrup. To make fig syrup, add 1 cup of the orange blossom syrup to a pot along with 8 peeled and sliced figs. Simmer, about 10 minutes, or until figs begin to burst. Gently crush figs with the back of a fork. Pour syrup into a jar and refrigerate until ready to serve.