Hétaliyé (Rosewater Flan and Ice Cream) | Les Filles Fattoush

This dessert has long been served in Chinese bowls in Syria. Friends and family traditionally gather on Sundays to eat it after mass. It was while researching the Silk Road that I realized our cuisine had a Chinese influence. Surprising, isn't it?

Ingredients (for 8 to 10 servings):

• 1.5 liters (6 cups) of milk
• 100 g (¾ cup) cornstarch
• 1 tsp putty
• ½ tsp sugar
• 2 cans of 170g each of ashta cream (or 300ml / 1 1/4 of mascarpone or crème fraîche)
• 125 ml (½ cup) very cold water
• Vanilla ice cream
• Ground pistachios

Ingredients for rose water flavored milk:

• 1 liter (4 cups) of milk
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp rose water

Preparation :

1. In a bowl, using a spoon or whisk, mix the milk with the cornstarch until the starch is well dissolved. Set aside.
2. Using a mortar, grind the mastic with the sugar and set aside.
3. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Pour in the milk and cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring with a whisk, for 10 minutes, or until thickened. Slowly pour in the ashta cream, stirring continuously, then turn off the heat. Add the ground mastic mixture and mix.
4. Pour the hot milk mixture onto a large, deep, round baking sheet. Let cool for 10 minutes (the surface should harden), then carefully pour the cold water over the surface. Refrigerate the hétaliyé for 4 to 5 hours or until firm. Cut into 2.5 cm (1 in) cubes.
5. Prepare the flavored milk. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, sugar, and rose water, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
6. When ready to serve, divide a few cubes of hétaliyé into small bowls. Top each bowl with 1 to 2 scoops of ice cream. Pour the flavored milk over the bowl and sprinkle with a pinch of pistachios.

Excerpt from the book "At Adelle's Table, Memories and Recipes of a Syrian Immigrant", p.44.