Aysh el-Saraya
Aish el- saraya is a delightful Mediterranean dessert served in many occasions . The name literally means 'Palace Bread' in Egypt.
The bottom consists of syrup-soaked breadcrumbs flavored with our famous specialties, rose water and orange blossom water which we use in many of our Lebanese desserts, the top consists of special cooked cream covered with unsalted pistachios. The origin of this dish is unknown, yet some have regarded this dish to the Lebanese cuisine.
Prep. time: 30 mins
Serves: 7 to 8
INGREDIENTS:
Melba toast 16 pieces or as many to cover the bottom of the tray
The cream:
4 cups milk
1 cup cooking cream
5 heaped tbsp. corn flour
3 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. rose water
1 tbsp. orange blossom water
The syrup:
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp orange blossom water
1 tbsp rose water
DIRECTIONS: to make the syrup put the sugar, water and the lemon juice in a small cooking pot over medium heat stirring to dissolve, boil for 5 mins. Add the rose water and orange blossom water then set aside to cool.
In a glass tray around 24 x 36 cm, arrange the toast pieces covering the bottom. Pour the syrup all over the toast set aside to adsorb it, reserving extra syrup if you like to add when serving it.
In the mean time prepare the cream. In a large cooking pot, put the milk, the cooking cream, the sugar, the corn flour and both rose with the orange blossom water. Whisk over medium heat, mixing continually until it thickens, usually 2 mins after the boiling point.
Now pour the cream mixture on top of the absorbed toast, covering it all. Set aside to cool then sprinkle the crushed pistachios. Serve after refrigerating at least for 3 hours or over night. It is one of my special dessert which my family still enjoy until today, I guess it is the creamy taste of the custard with the flavored and immersed toast by this wonderful aromatized water. This simple no bake dessert is very easy and demand minimum time. Trust me once you try it, you will prepare it again and again.
ENJOY!!!