Balouza Muhallabia (Fragrant Milk Pudding) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup cornflour
4 cups milk
1/2 - 1 cup sugar (to taste)
1/4 cup orange blossom water or 1/4 cup rose water
1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped blanched almonds, and or 1/4-1/2 cup pistachio nut

Preparation

Mix the cornflour with a little of the milk, to make a smooth paste, then (in a large heavy-bottomed pan) mix the paste with the rest of the milk and the sugar.
Stirring constantly and vigorously, bring the mixture to the boil slowly.
Lower the heat to as low as it will go, then simmer until the mixture thickens. Make sure you keep stirring thoroughly the whole time, or else the mixture will go lumpy and will stick and burn!
Test the thickness of the mixture. Drop a small blob onto a cold plate - if it holds its shape instead of spreading, then it is ready. Until then, keep heating and stirring for a while longer, then test again.
When thick, add the orange blossom water or rose water, stir throughly and cook for another couple of minutes.
Pour into a glass dish, allow to cool slightly, then decorate with chopped nuts, making pretty patterns.
Chill until serving (about two hours).