Excellent choice! 🇹🇷✨ Creamy Turkish Milk Pudding (Sütlaç or Muhallebi) is one of Turkey’s most beloved desserts — silky, lightly sweet, and comforting. There are two main versions:
- Muhallebi – a smooth milk pudding (no rice, similar to custard).
- Sütlaç – a rice pudding version, often baked for a golden top.
Below is the classic creamy Muhallebi — the simpler, quicker, and ultra-smooth version. 🍶
🍮 Creamy Turkish Milk Pudding (Muhallebi)
Ingredients
(Serves 4–6)
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4 cups whole milk (or half-and-half for extra richness)
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½ cup sugar (adjust to taste)
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¼ cup cornstarch (or rice flour, traditional option)
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2 tbsp butter
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1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 piece mastic (for authentic flavor, optional)
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Ground cinnamon or crushed pistachios, for garnish
🧑🍳 Instructions
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Mix the base:
In a saucepan (off the heat), whisk together milk, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth and lump-free. -
Cook:
Place over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens — about 8–10 minutes.
(It should coat the back of a spoon.) -
Finish:
Once thick, remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla (or mastic) until smooth and glossy. -
Pour and chill:
Pour the pudding into small bowls or ramekins.
Let cool slightly, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours until set. -
Serve:
Sprinkle with cinnamon, chopped pistachios, or shredded coconut before serving.
🍯 Variations
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Chocolate Muhallebi: Add 2 tbsp cocoa powder to the milk before cooking.
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Rose or Orange Blossom: Stir in 1 tsp rosewater or orange blossom water after cooking.
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Baked Sütlaç Style: Pour into oven-safe bowls, place in a water bath, and broil until golden on top.
🧁 Tips
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Stir constantly — milk puddings scorch easily.
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For extra creaminess, use 3½ cups milk + ½ cup heavy cream.
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Store covered in the fridge up to 3 days.
Would you like me to share the baked Turkish rice pudding (Fırın Sütlaç) version next — the one with the golden caramelized top?
