This Turkish cream with ground almonds is one of my favorite milk puddings.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　3/4 cup blanched almonds

　　4 1/2 cups whole milk

　　4 tablespoons rice flour

　　3/4 cup sugar

　　A few drops of almond extract

　　2 tablespoons finely chopped pistachios to garnish

　　

Step 1

Grind the almonds in the food processor (the texture is best if you do not use commercially ground ones).

　　

Step 2

Bring the milk to the boil and take off the heat.

　　

Step 3

In a small bowl, mix the rice flour to a paste with 4–5 tablespoons cold water, making sure there are no lumps. Pour this into the milk, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, and cook—stirring constantly and always in the same direction, to keep lumps from forming—for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken.

　　

Step 4

Add the sugar and ground almonds and continue to cook on the lowest possible heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, or until the consistency is that of a thin porridge. Always stir in the same direction, and do not scrape the bottom of the pan, as the bottom tends to stick and burn a little, and you do not want to scrape up any burnt bits. Stir in the almond extract and pour into a serving bowl or individual bowls. Let the cream cool before sprinkling on the pistachios. Serve chilled.

　　The New Book of Middle Eastern Food Copyright © 2000Knopf