Ayesh El Saraya

Ingredients:

1. 8 pieces French toast (see Note)

2. 750 ml (3 cups) milk

3. 600 ml cream

4. 75 g caster sugar

5. ½ cup cornflour

6. ½ cup plain flour

7. 100 g ground pistachios

Syrup:

1. 440 g (2 cups) caster sugar

2. 1 tbsp lemon juice

3. 2 tbsp rosewater

Preparation:

1. For the syrup, place the sugar and 375 ml (1½ cups) water in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the lemon juice, reduce the heat to a gentle boil and cook for 15 minutes until light golden. Remove from the heat and stir in the rosewater.

2. Arrange the toast to cover the base of a 23 cm square or rectangular dish. Pour half the sugar syrup over the toast, reserving the remainder.

3. Place the milk, cream, sugar, cornflour and plain flour in a saucepan, and whisk until well combined. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking continuously, for 8 minutes until thick with a yoghurt-like consistency. Pour the custard over the toast, bang on the bench a few times to settle the custard, and set aside to cool for 1 hour. Sprinkle with the ground pistachios and refrigerate for 2 hours.

4. Serve cold with extra syrup to the side.

Lara Kh.