Cypriot and Politiki Mahalepi (Μαχαλεπί)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •heavy-bottomed saucepan, 2 litre capacity
• •balloon whisk
• •6 small glasses or bowls, 150ml each
• •fine sieve, if the slurry looks lumpy

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the syrup

   Put 200ml water and 140g sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stir until clear, then simmer for 3 minutes. Take it off the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon rosewater, the lemon juice, and the rose cordial if you want the Cypriot pink blush. Chill it completely.

2. 2

   Bloom the cornflour

   Pour 250ml of the cold milk into a bowl and whisk in the cornflour until smooth. This is the step that decides the pudding. Cornflour must meet cold liquid first, or it seals into little lumps the moment it hits heat. Smooth now means silky later.

   Rub a little slurry between your fingers. If you feel dry grit at the bottom of the bowl, whisk again before it goes near the pot.
3. 3

   Heat the milk

   Put the remaining 750ml milk, 75g sugar, and the salt in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Warm it until the sugar dissolves and the milk is hot but not boiling. Stir often, because milk catches quietly.

4. 4

   Cook the pudding

   Whisk the cornflour slurry once more, then pour it into the hot milk in a thin stream, whisking all the time. Keep cooking over medium-low heat for 4 to 6 minutes, until the mixture thickens, loses its chalky smell, and falls from the whisk in heavy ribbons. Stir in 1 teaspoon rosewater at the end.

5. 5

   Mould and chill

   Rinse 6 small glasses or bowls with cold water and leave them wet. Divide the mahalepi between them, smooth the tops, and press a small piece of baking paper directly on the surface if you dislike a skin. Chill for at least 4 hours, until fully set and cold.

6. 6

   Serve cold

   Spoon the cold rosewater syrup over each pudding just before serving. Scatter with pistachios or blanched almonds if using. The pudding should tremble under the spoon, not bounce like rubber. That is how you know you stopped at the right place.

Chef Tips

• •Use real rosewater, not a perfume-heavy bottle meant for cosmetics. It should smell like a rose in the shade, not like soap. Λίγα και καλά: a little good rosewater is enough.
• •Do not boil the thickened pudding hard. Once it starts to blip and fold heavily under the whisk, keep it moving and give it a few minutes to cook through.
• •Mahalepi is best made the day before. The syrup stays separate until serving, so the pudding remains clean and the rose stays bright.

Advance Preparation

• •Make the syrup up to 5 days ahead and keep it chilled.
• •Make the mahalepi up to 2 days ahead, covered in the refrigerator. Add syrup only at the table.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 255g)