Muhallebi (Cypriot Rice Powder Pudding)

This is a light and sweet Mediterranean dessert.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 6 small dessert bowls

Ingredients

• 4  cups milk
• 1⁄4 cup sugar, plus
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1 -2  tablespoon  orange blossom water
• 1⁄2 cup  rice flour

Directions

1. In a basin or a large bowl, mix rice powder into a paste with a little milk taken from the 4 cups.
2. Heat remaining milk to almost boiling point and pour onto the rice paste, stirring well.
3. Return the mix to the saucepan and add orange blossom flower water and bring to boil over gentle heat while ***stirring continuously***.
4. Once the mixture starts bubbling, reduce the heat and continue stirring continuously for another 5-10 minutes more. The continuous stirring makes sure it doesn't lump.
5. Add sugar and keep stirring until it dissolves completely.
6. If the mixture becomes too thick dilute with a little milk or water.
7. Pour the creamy mixture into small bowls (or a one large shallow dish approximately 1-1 and ½” deep.
8. Decorate the pudding top with pistachios and almonds if desired.
9. Helpful Hints.
10. Add sugar after the rice powder mixture has been stirred, boiled and thickened for at least 10 minutes.
11. At the end, you may wish to place the saucepan in cold water and beat the mixture for a few minutes before pouring into small dishes.