Orange Blossom and Milk Pudding, Pistachios and Honeycomb

This exquisite Middle Eastern-inspired orange blossom and milk pudding with crushed pistachios and honeycomb is a simple, easy recipe from the Ducksoup Cookbook. Make it the day before and serve it as an impressive dinner party dessert.

Introduction

Bergamot, orange blossom, rose water – these are all scents that we really enjoy cooking with. The intoxicating smell of a tiny drop of orange blossom water can transport you to a million different places. It’s traditionally used in Middle Eastern cooking, mainly in desserts, but has also found its way to Europe and is used to flavour madeleines. In Morocco it is also used as a cleanser to wash your hands before you enter a house or take tea – how lovely! Needless to say, this is a Middle Eastern-inspired pudding.

 Serves 4

Ingredients

375ml whole milk
125ml double cream
100g icing sugar
3½ sheets leaf gelatine
25ml orange blossom water
4 tbsp honeycomb
40g pistachios, warmed in a dry frying pan and lightly crushed

Essential kit
You will need: four 150ml moulds or ramekins.

Instructions

Pour the milk, cream and icing sugar into a pan and warm together over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile put the gelatine in a bowl of cold water and leave for 5 minutes to soften or ‘bloom’. Once softened, squeeze out the excess water and whisk into the hot milk, then add the orange blossom water. Pour this mixture into your moulds and allow to cool before placing in the fridge to set for at least 8 hours or overnight.

When you are ready to serve, have a small pan of boiling water at the ready. Dip each mould into the hot water for no longer than 2 seconds and then turn each pudding out on to a plate. Add a spoonful of honeycomb on the side and sprinkle over the crushed pistachios.