Today I’m sharing Almond Milk Pudding with Crushed Almonds, Orange Blossom and Mastic, or a vegan version of Kishk al Fuqara.
This flavorful and creamy treat is super simple to put together, and only has 7 ingredients: almond milk, coconut cream, crushed almonds, corn starch, sugar, mastic and orange blossom. The traditional recipe uses whole milk, and I decided to replace it for a plant-based alternative.
My original thought was to only add the almond milk, but I knew the consistency wouldn’t come out right. Thankfully I had a can of coconut cream in the pantry, which I knew would help out in that department. I thought that maybe it would add a hint of coconut, which I didn’t want, since it’s not in the original flavor profile. Thankfully, there was none of it! And the result was the exact taste and texture of the original.
Coconut cream, almond milk and crunchy crushed almonds are added to a stainless steel stockpot. A bit of the liquid is mixed with corn starch to make sure the pudding comes out nice and thick, which is then added to the pot. Everything is stirred together constantly over medium or medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Sugar is then added, and it’s boiled a bit longer to make sure the thickener really becomes activated. Once it’s taken off heat, fragrant crushed mastic and orange blossom are stirred in. The sweet concoction is then ladled immediately into bowls, which are refrigerated for a few hours until it cools.
Syrians have funny names for several dishes, Kishk al Fuqara literally translates to “kiosk of the poor,” but there’s nothing really poor about this. In fact, it’s rich in decadent flavors and textures and is often served at weddings in Damascus. Ice cream shops also make it in the wintertime to continuously serve their customer base throughout the year.
Kishk ferments goat milk yogurt with bulgur as a form of preservation. I’m guessing that the crushed almonds in Kishk al Fuqara represents the “bulgur” and the creamy pudding represents the yogurt, and the dish is sort of a play on words. The verdict is still out, and I haven’t found any evidence of this. Either way, it’s a tasty treat that you can throw together any day of the week.
If you’d like to learn more about mastic and orange blossom, you can read my #spicestories here and here.
I hope you give this recipe a try! If you do, I’d love to hear about it! Let people know in the comments how it worked out, and don’t forget to tag @omayah.atassi or #omayahcooks on Instagram.
Almond Milk Pudding with Crushed Almonds, Orange Blossom and Mastic (Vegan Kishk al Fuqara)
Ingredients
- 1/2 c skinless almonds or almond halves
- 470 ml (16 oz) can of coconut cream
- 2.25 c almond milk
- 3/4 c granulated or caster sugar
- 1/4 c corn starch
- 1 Tbsp orange blossom
- 1/4 tsp mastic, smashed
Instructions
- Crush the almonds by pulsing in a food processor about 10-15 times.
- Combine 1/4 c of almond milk with the corn starch and stir until dissolved. Measure the remaining liquid by pouring the coconut cream in a 2 c measuring cup. Top with almond milk to make 2 cups. Measure another cup of almond milk for a total of 3 cups. Pour into a stainless steel pot.
- Add corn starch mixture and almonds and set contents over medium or medium-high heat. Stir constantly until it comes to a boil. Let boil for 1 minute before adding the sugar and stirring for 1-2 more minutes.
- Remove from heat and add mastic and orange blossom. Immediately ladle into 4 bowls and cool in the fridge at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Can be made up to 2 days ahead.