Cream of wheat pudding (Ma’mouniyeh)
July 20, 2014 • Category: Dessert
Here is a traditional (and ancient) Middle-Eastern pudding that can be prepared very easily with ingredients from any mainstream supermarket. It is named after the ninth century Caliph Ma’moun (revered by some and loathed by others). It is so simple to make, yet it is a celebratory dessert. It is also prepared for a special breakfast and garnished with toasted nuts or melted white cheese or whipped cream.
INGREDIENTS: 4 to 6 servings
- 4 cups water
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water or other flavoring such as vanilla
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter or oil
- 1 cup cream of wheat (for a coarser texture) or semolina flour
- Garnish: pistachios, chopped fine. Pine nuts, toasted or panfried till golden-brown. Almonds, toasted.
1. Place the water and sugar in a saucepan; bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium and simmer for a few minutes. Add the orange blossom water and set aside.
2. Melt the butter over medium heat and add the semolina or cream of wheat; stir constantly until the mixture is light brown and a toasted fragrance comes-up. Gradually add the syrup, stirring, until the mixture thickens (which takes just minutes). Transfer to a bowl or several ramequins. Garnish with the nuts and serve immediately.
NOTE: Other flavorings include saffron, which can be diluted in a few tablespoons of water and added to the semolina. Some people like to add shredded cheese to this pudding as it cooks, melting the cheese. 
Comments
17 Comments • Comments Feed
Rosa says:
This is a fantastic and refined tasting dessert!
Cheers,
Rosa
On July 21, 2014 at 4:53 am
Lola E. says:
Hi Joumana,
What kind of cheese you recommend that we can add to this pudding?? akkawi for example..?? Thanks
On July 21, 2014 at 8:55 am
Joumana says:
@Lola E. Yes, akkawi is great or one called majdouleh which looks like a braided cheese, white and firm; they are all basically like mozzarella. I did a post a few years back on incorporating the cheese in the pudding. Here is the link to it. https://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2011/03/mamounieh-toasted-semolina-pudding/
On July 21, 2014 at 9:43 am
Glyn says:
omg! i must add this to My new recipe book and try to cook it too.. Miss Joumana I’m so glad I’ve found your blog! xx
On July 22, 2014 at 8:58 pm
Joumana says:
@Glyn: I am so glad to have discovered your bakery/pastry shop! A must next time I am in New York!
On July 23, 2014 at 4:39 am
Ivy says:
I saw the reply on Facebook about the name of your dessert but only now reading the ingredients I realized I was also right, as this is what we call halvas in Greece. Love it!
On July 22, 2014 at 10:40 pm
Sylva says:
What a lovely dish this is. My mom made it all the time. It is so comforting.
This is the most luxurious presentation for Mamouniyeh I’ve ever seen! Joumana it’s Delicious 🙂
On July 23, 2014 at 2:29 pm
Joumana says:
@Sylva: Thanks dear Sylva, so interesting to hear your family ate it regularly! Ours did not 🙁
On July 24, 2014 at 9:04 am
VEB says:
Ma chère Joumana, j’ai traduit ton article l’ai lu trois fois…et j’ai regardé pas moins de 10 fois la photo du bol avec les graines de pignons grillés et me suis imaginée juste en train de la savourer en admirant un paysage bien de chez toi accompagné d’un bon thé. Merci d’avoir fait voyager mes papilles ça me rappelle des souvenirs d’enfance. Bien cordialement
On July 28, 2014 at 2:35 pm
Joumana says:
@VEB je suis ravie de t’avoir fait plaisir!
On July 28, 2014 at 10:16 pm
Oui, Chef says:
I was never a fan of cream of wheat as a breakfast cereal as a kid, but this treat sounds quite fabulous!
On August 1, 2014 at 1:40 pm
Jamie says:
I love this. The French make semolina desserts/puddings like this but of course the Middle Eastern flavors make it much more special. Beautiful!
On October 10, 2014 at 3:08 pm
Joe says:
Not only is it refined, but even the most troublesome and picky child will dig right into it. It’s quite wholesome. I’ve made this as a breakfast when I have visitors. Lebanese or not, they seem to never tire of it.
On January 16, 2015 at 6:31 pm
Joumana says:
@Joe. I find your enthusiasm quite refreshing! 🙂
On January 16, 2015 at 6:59 pm
Rula Awwad-Rafferty says:
Just made this, the first spoonful brought so many memories… took me back to childhood days.. I think it was the toasted flavor combined with orange blossom, and texture… what a treasure.. thank you..
On January 18, 2016 at 2:41 am
Joumana says:
@Rula: Thanks for sharing your experience! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
On January 18, 2016 at 7:44 am
Louie says:
This takes me back to family and Christmas time. My Lebanese family makes this around Christmas time for a special morning breakfast treat.
On December 23, 2021 at 3:23 pm