Chocolate & Hazelnut Muhallabieh - Middle Eastern Cream Tart

Um Safia's Note:

Muhallabieh is typically a Lebanese dessert but is popular all over the Middle East in various forms. The best way I could describe it is that it tastes like chocolate covered turkish delight!!! This is a particularly good but very sweet version :) I sometimes like to use almonds in place of the hazelnuts, I also double the rose water & the cocoa powder. I also like to omit the condensed milk & just use all milk (including milk in place of the water) & then sweeten which means that the tart is no longer sickly sweet! Chilling time not included..

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

For the base

• 250 g digestive biscuits , ground
• 110 g butter , melted

Filling

• 397 g sweetened condensed milk (1 tin)
• 625 ml water
• 60 g cornflour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon rose water
• 125 ml fresh double cream , whipped
• 75 g hazelnuts , toasted and halved

Directions:

1. Combine biscuit crumbs and butter in a bowl; Rub the ingredients until well combined. Place the mixture over the base and sides of a 26cm lose bottom tart tin and set in the fridge for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, add the Sweetened Condensed Milk, water, cornflour and cocoa powder in a large saucepan; bring to boil with constant stirring until mixture thickens then add rose water and stir.
3. Pour the hot mixture over the prepared base and set it aside to cool in room temperature.
4. Spread the whipped cream over the cooled filling and sprinkle with the cracked hazelnuts on top and place in the fridge till the serving time.
5. Tip: For a better garnish; pipe the whipped cream using a piping bag with a star nozzle and garnish with strawberry and mint leaves.