Basbousa with Cream and Pistachios

Ingredients

• 4 cups fine semolina
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup soft ghee
• Half cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon yeast
• A pinch of mahleb
• Half cup milk
• 1/4 cup orange blossom water
• 1/4 cup rose water
• 1 cup coarsely ground pistachios
• 3/4 cup powdered milk
• A pinch of mastic
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup cream
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• Half cup sugar
• 1 medium spoon orange blossom water and rose water

Method

1. Rub the fine semolina with the ghee and butter until all the grains are well coated and leave them for half an hour...
2. After the required time, add the mahleb and yeast and knead with the milk, orange blossom water and rose water... cover the mixture and let it rest for at least one hour...
3. Then we divide the dough into two equal parts in an oven tray or an ovenproof glass dish.
4. Place a sheet of plastic wrap and spread the first portion over it to take the shape of the dish, then carefully lift the plastic wrap; then spread the second portion and pour the cream over it, then sprinkle the cup of crushed pistachios, then fold the part that was spread over the plastic wrap...
5. Score or divide the basbousa in the shape you want and put it in a preheated oven at 180°C for half an hour from the bottom then brown it from above and pour a cup of syrup (qatar/shira) over it while it is hot...
6. Leave the cream basbousa to cool completely then cut it and garnish with pistachios....
7. Cream ingredients:
8. 3/4 cup powdered milk
9. A pinch of mastic
10. 2 cups water
11. 1 cup cream
12. 3 tablespoons cornstarch
13. Half cup sugar
14. 1 medium spoon orange blossom water and rose water