Layali Lubnan

Layali Lubnan, or Lebanese Nights dessert is a Lebanese semolina pudding dessert that’s absolutely delicious. A thick layer of semolina pudding with a cream topping, garnished with pistachios and drizzled with fragrant sugar syrup. So easy to make!

Jump to:

• What is Layali Lubnan?
• Ingredients you need to make Lebanese Nights dessert:
• How to make Layali Lubnan:
• How to serve Lebanese Semolina pudding:
• Storing leftover Layali Lubnan:
• Recipe tips and tricks:
• Recipe FAQs:
• Layali Lubnan
• For more Middle Eastern desserts:

What is Layali Lubnan?

This literally translates to “Lebanese Nights” because this dessert is so famous in Lebanon and often served at nighttime celebrations and events.

I especially like having this in the month of Ramadan. It’s when I eat more Middle Eastern desserts than any other month of the year!

This is essentially a Lebanese semolina pudding, with a thick layer of smooth rich semolina flavored with rose and orange blossom water. This semolina pudding is then topped with a cream layer.

Layali Lebnan is traditionally garnished with pistachios, and served with a fragrant sugar syrup. The dessert itself is barely sweetened, so the sugar syrup gives it all the sweetness it needs.

Ingredients you need to make Lebanese Nights dessert:

For the sugar syrup:

Sugar, water, lemon juice, rose water, and orange blossom water.

The good thing about the sugar syrup is that it lasts at least 10 days in the fridge, so you can make this in advance.

For the semolina pudding:

Sugar

Mastic Gum: This gives an interesting flavor to the pudding that’s really common in Middle Eastern desserts. It’s essentially what Arabic gum is made of. You’ll find this in Middle Eastern stores, or online! If you can’t find it, you can leave it out.

Semolina: You can use fine semolina or coarse or a mix.

Milk: I’d recommend using whole milk for the creamiest texture.

Rose water and orange blossom water: These are present in every layer of this pudding, from the semolina, to the cream, to the sugar syrup. They add so much flavor! Find online or in Middle Eastern supermarkets.

How to make Layali Lubnan:

1. Make the sugar syrup: Combine sugar, water and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until syrup like. Off the heat, stir in the orange blossom and rose water.
2. Make the semolina pudding: Start off by crushing together the mastic gum and sugar, either with a mortar and pestle, or by placing in a sandwich bag and rolling over with a heavy rolling pin.
3. Mix together semolina, milk, and sugar and mastic mixture in a saucepan and place on medium high heat. Whisk constantly until mixture begins to thicken, around 2 minutes, then reduce heat to medium and simmer another 6-8 minutes into a pudding consistency stirring all the while.
4. Off the heat stir in the rose water and orange blossom water, pour into a 9×11 pyrex pan, and let cool to room temperature.
5. Make the cream topping and assemble: Mix together the cream with rose water and orange blossom water. Spread onto the cooled semolina pudding. Garnish with pistachios.
6. When ready to serve, cut slices, and pour sugar syrup on top of each slice. Serve with extra sugar syrup.

How to serve Lebanese Semolina pudding:

Serve cold from the fridge, with extra sugar syrup. I love having this with tea, and it also goes great with coffee.

Storing leftover Layali Lubnan:

Leftovers will last 3-4 days tightly covered in the fridge. It’s best not to pour the sugar syrup directly onto the pan because if you have leftovers it’ll make the cream soggy and curdled- pour sugar syrup directly onto serving plates of cut slices.

Recipe tips and tricks:

• When making the semolina pudding, keep whisking! It might burn on the bottom if you don’t keep the mixture moving until thickened.
• To save time, prep the sugar syrup in advance and store in the fridge until ready to use. It’ll be good at least 10 days in the fridge.
• If you can’t find mastic gum, leave it out. I definitely recommend sourcing the orange blossom and rose water though, they are present in every layer so the flavor is very important!

Recipe FAQs:

For more Middle Eastern desserts:

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