Butternut and cream pudding (Halwa al-yakteen)
November 18, 2011 • Category: Dessert
After Oum Ali, this is another great dessert from Egypt and Eastern Libya. A version of this dessert is explained with step-by-step photos in an excellent site for anybody interested in Libyan food and traditions. Another version I found in Lebanese chef Marlene Mattar‘s cookbook, Maedat Marlene.
This is a simple dessert: Cook the pumpkin and sweeten it. Make a white sauce and sweeten it; layer the two, bake in the oven and serve warm or at room temperature.
I made this dessert with pumpkin and with butternut and I prefer it with the butternut. My version cuts down on the sugar.
INGREDIENTS: 6 servings
- 1 pound (500 g) of butternut (already peeled and cut into chunks)
- 1 cup of water
- 1/3 cup of brown sugar
- dash of cinnamon
- 2 tbsp of golden raisins
- Béchamel sauce: 1.4 oz (40 g.) of AP flour
- 3 tbsp of unsalted butter
- 2 cups of whole milk (or 1 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of cream)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp of orange blossom water (can substitute vanilla extract)
METHOD:
- Peel and cut the butternut into chunks, removing all fibrous material and seeds. Place the butternut chunks with the water, brown sugar, raisins and spice into a saucepan and bring to a boil; simmer gently for about 30 minutes or until the water has evaporated, mashing the butternut mixture with a meat mallet to purée it.
- Make the béchamel: Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour and stir to cook the flour a bit; gradually add the milk stirring nonstop. Add the eggs and sugar and whisk until the mixture is thickened and smooth. Add the flavoring.
- Cool the milk mixture a bit then layer the milk mixture in a ramequin with the butternut mixture in the middle. Bake in a 375F oven for about 10 minutes until bubbly and a bit puffed up. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Comments
20 Comments • Comments Feed
Magic of Spice says:
This is such a fantastic dessert for the Season…gorgeous!
On November 18, 2011 at 2:17 pm
s says:
bechamel in a dessert- how delicious.i love the bounty of butternut squash these days. x shayma
On November 18, 2011 at 3:15 pm
Sukanya says:
this is simply delicious and perfect for the season, like the idea of using bechamel sauce in dessert.
On November 18, 2011 at 3:36 pm
T.W. Barritt says:
The layering effect is beautiful. I’m finding more and more that butternut squash is a great substitute for pumpkin.
On November 18, 2011 at 4:12 pm
Rosa says:
A great pudding! The flavors are just exquisite.
Cheers,
Rosa
On November 18, 2011 at 4:40 pm
Belinda @zomppa says:
What a great way to enjoy pumpkin!!
On November 18, 2011 at 4:57 pm
Devaki says:
Look at that!!!! Superbly presented, mouthwatering flavors. I adore how you take seasonal ingredients and give it your very own traditional spin. Just wonderful – if I was just too darn tired with all the grosery shopping already done for next week (for my 12 dishes 🙂 I’d add this to the menu! Next holiday 🙂
Pudding and butternut squash..sigh..
chow! Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
On November 18, 2011 at 5:27 pm
Claudia says:
Love the layers – bechamel and squash – a pudding made in heaven. I know so little of these foods and it’s always treat to come here and discover.
On November 18, 2011 at 7:25 pm
Vianney Rodriguez says:
i love the use of butternut, the layers add such a festive touch!!
On November 18, 2011 at 8:30 pm
5 Star Foodie says:
A delightful treat, love the addition of orange blossom water!
On November 18, 2011 at 11:38 pm
Diane says:
I love butternut and have some in the house. I have never tried it as a pudding this looks delicious. Diane
On November 19, 2011 at 3:34 am
domi says:
Tout simplement gourmand….
On November 19, 2011 at 10:44 am
Vanille says:
Un superbe blog que je découvre avec grand plaisir!!! Tes recettes sont parfaites et tes photos sublimes!!! D’ailleurs, je te mets de ce pas dans mes liens et je vais te voir sur Facebook!!! Bonne soirée et à bientôt.
On November 19, 2011 at 2:00 pm
Doc says:
I am loving these sweet treats! Wish I could be at your house over the holidays! The food, as always, looks fabulous.
Have a great holiday season,
Doc
On November 20, 2011 at 7:33 am
Nammi says:
hello , never realised that you can make a sweet version of white sauce 🙂
very interesting sweet dish
On November 20, 2011 at 7:44 am
Erica says:
This sounds delicious! I am huge fan of your recipes!!!!!!!Love this one 🙂
On November 20, 2011 at 7:47 am
Libyan Food says:
This looks so cute the way you make it, love the pumkin tops! I wasn’t much of a fan of the raisin and nut version, but cooking the raisins with the pumkin and especially sprinkinling the uts on top is different and something I will definately be doing. I
I wonder how butternut differes from pumkin? I don’t see butternut often here but will try it next time I see it.
On November 21, 2011 at 7:55 am
Asmita says:
I love your style of cooking.
On November 21, 2011 at 2:49 pm
Caffettiera says:
This dessert looks very festive, and I can easily imagine a savoury version of it, which is really unusual. I prefer butternut squash to pumpkin too on almost all dishes, it is so sweet and plump.
On November 21, 2011 at 5:26 pm
Heba @ midEATS says:
This looks amazing. I’ll be trying it soon and blogging about it on midEATS. Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
On December 2, 2011 at 6:02 pm