LAYALI LUBNAN - LEBANESE NIGHTS (PUDDING)

Layali Lubnan - Lebanese nights
Ingredients
8 cups of cold milk
1/2 cups semolina
2 eggs
2 tbsp rose water + orange blossom water
¼ tsp of ground mustikah gum(optional)
4 cups granulated sugar
2 1/4 cups water
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Topping
1 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts

Preparation
Pour the milk into a large saucepan and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat, and slowly pour in the semolina in a steady stream, stirring continuously. Continue to stir and cook until the mixture thickens and boils for 1 to 2 minutes.
Mix the eggs with the flavouring, Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the eggs and rose water, return the pot to the heat and stir so the eggs cooks and combined well with the rest of the ingredients. Pour the mixture into a 9x13 inch serving dish, or into individual cups. Allow the pudding to cool slightly, and then cover with plastic wrap directly on the top. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 5 hours or overnight.
Heat 1/2 cup of the sugar, plus 2 tablespoons of water in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, don’t stir , let the sugar dissolve and turns to light golden brown, immediately remove from the heat and stir in the rest of the water. Do not worry if the mixture bubbles and hardens a bit, it will dissolve. Return the pan to the stove, and stir in the remaining sugar until dissolved. Add the lemon juice, to the sugar syrup, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and chill. The syrup will keep for a month if refrigerated in a sealed container.
To serve, whip the whipping cream with sugar until fluffy, chill before you use it. Spread a thin layer of whipped cream over the pudding sprinkle with chopped nuts. Cut into squares and serves with the caramel syrup poured over it.