Thick and creamy, this dairy-free Malabi Pudding is topped with raspberry or peach jam syrup and crunchy garnishes for a refreshing Middle Eastern treat.
After recipe testing, I found the ideal ratios for this dairy-free pudding, creating the ultimate version. It’s just the right thickness and ratio of topping to pudding. It’s not too sweet, but just sweet enough. Traditional malabi pudding is usually plain, but I updated this dessert with a touch of rose water and cardamom, giving it irresistible Middle Eastern flavors.
Malabi is a milk pudding thickened with cornstarch, available in both dairy and nondairy versions. It likely originated in ancient Turkey and now is served throughout the Middle East. Malabi has become very popular in Israel. Originally, a casual street food served in small shops, roadside trucks, and carts, now it can be found in upscale restaurants.
If you’re dairy free or looking for a parve dessert, it’s wonderful to have this creamy, flavorful, and extra delicious milk pudding on hand. Or, if you're looking for other dairy-free desserts, you may like Jewish Honey Cake, Chocolate Chip Macaroons, One Bowl Apple Cake, or Honey Cookies.
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Ingredient Notes
For the pudding:
For the syrup topping:
Garnish options:
See the recipe card below for a complete ingredient list and measurements.
- Almond milk: This recipe was tested with almond milk to keep it parve for meat meals and dairy-free diets. I used unsweetened and unflavored almond milk because the recipe includes the proper amount of sugar and flavor in the other ingredients. Other plant-based milks or whole milk should work as a substitute, but they haven't been tested with this recipe.
- Salt: I added a pinch of salt to add flavor contrast to the sweetness. I usually use fine sea salt because it dissolves easily.
- White granulated sugar: just a little is used to make this pudding a dessert.
- Cornstarch: This is commonly used as a thickener. Substitute with potato starch during Passover. You may find some recipes thickened with rice flour, but cornstarch forms a smoother pudding.
- Rose water: This adds a Middle Eastern floral aroma. Use just a little because rose water is strong, and you want there to be just a hint of flavor. Or it can be omitted, as traditionally the pudding is plain. If you want to make another rose water dessert, make my Maamoul Date Cookies.
- Cardamom: If you don't have any, substitute with nutmeg or cinnamon. You can add to the pudding, sprinkle it on top, or omit altogether.
- Jam: A seedless jam with no chunks of fruit works best for making a smooth syrup. If you use preserves or a chunky jam, start with twice the recommended amount, as you'll lose the chunky pieces when you strain the jam. Seedless raspberry and strawberry jam are commonly used, but any flavor, including peach, apricot, or mixed berry all work well.
- Garnish options include: pomegranate arils and mint sprig (for red jam topping) and chopped pistachios and coconut flakes (for orange jam topping). Or experiment with your own combinations.
Variations for Malabi Pudding
I love this dessert because there are so many ways to customize based on your preferences and ingredients on hand.
- Vary the pudding base: The base can be plain, or you can add in flavors. Substitute the rose water with orange blossom water or real vanilla extract.
- Vary the syrup: Use different varieties of jam or make a reduced juice syrup, like pomegranate. Or top with date syrup or honey instead. You could even get creative with a caramel topping or chocolate syrup.
- Vary the garnish: I garnished the raspberry jam malabi with pomegranate arils and a sprig of mint. The peach jam malabi is with coconut flakes and chopped pistachios. Anything crunchy adds a nice texture contrast. Other options include walnuts, peanuts, cacao nibs, chopped fresh fruit, halvah, or cookie crumbs.
- Suggested combinations:
- Vanilla pudding with chocolate syrup and cookie crumb.
- Vanilla pudding with honey and chopped berries.
- Cardamom vanilla pudding with date syrup and tahini drizzle topping and halvah crumble.
- Orange blossom pudding with semi sweet chocolate shavings and chopped pistachios.
- Rose water pudding with tahini, honey, and dark chocolate chunks.
This recipe has not been tested with substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below.
How to Make Malabi: step by step photos
See the recipe card below for complete directions.
These process shots give visual cues to help get the best results.
Step 1. Make the slurry: Whisk the almond milk and cornstarch.
Step 2. Prepare the pudding: Add almond milk, sugar, cardamom, and salt to a saucepan and whisk to combine and simmer. Keep an eye on it to prevent boiling over.
Step 3. Combine slurry with pudding: Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking frequently to prevent burning. It will thicken and is ready when it coats the back of a spoon.
Step 4. Strain pudding through a fine mesh strainer to remove any small pieces.
Step 5. Cover: Pour into glass bowls, and cover with plastic wrap touching the pudding to prevent a thickened skin from forming on the top. Let cool.
Step 6. Prepare topping: Place water, sugar, and jam in a small pot and simmer, whisking often to break apart clumps of jam and to dissolve the sugar.
Step 7. Strain jam: Push the syrup through a fine mesh sieve/strainer. Syrup should be pourable.
Step 8. Make a set up to assemble pudding: Prep bowls of pudding, toppings, and garnishes on a tray. It's ready for an easy assembly in the kitchen, or turn it into a toppings bar for guests to personalize their dessert.
Step 9. Layer the pudding: Start with a bottom layer of pudding. Once ready to serve, top with a layer of jam and finish with garnish.
Step 10. Serve: Serve the pudding cold and enjoy. Note consistency of finished pudding.
Top Tips
- The pudding cooks at a simmer. If it boils, lower the heat.
- Add the jam syrup to the pudding right before serving to prevent it from seeping and sinking to the bottom.
- Serve in a 7 to 8 oz glass cup or small bowl to highlight the layers. I like these dessert cups, but mason jars or martini glasses also make a cute presentation.
- Malabi is best served cold, straight from the refrigerator.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make ahead: The pudding and syrup can be made up to 3 days ahead, refrigerated, covered, and stored separately.
How to freeze: Do not freeze.
How to store: Store pudding in the refrigerator, covered well for up to 3 days.
When To Serve
This pudding is refreshing in the summer and when you want a light dessert for a Shabbat meal or brunch. Some families have a tradition of serving malabi on Rosh Hashanah, especially with a pomegranate garnish. I also like to serve it for Shavuot (which features dairy foods) or Passover (with a potato starch substitution).
Since malabi pudding is prepared ahead, it’s handy for many different holidays. One fun way to serve it is to set up a toppings bar and let guests add their own syrup and garnish.
More Parve/ Dairy-Free Recipes
If you're making this pudding as a part of a dairy-free or parve meal, include one of these recipes in your menu. My favorites include Parve Sweet Noodle Kugel, Broccoli Kugel, and Moroccan Carrot Salad.
- Red Cabbage Slaw (no mayo)
- Homemade Hummus (Smooth and Creamy)
- Moroccan Carrot Salad- with updated twist
- Creamy Roasted Eggplant Dip
Frequently Asked Questions
Malabi is made with milk (or non-dairy milk) and a thickening agent to create a thick, smooth milk-based pudding.
Yes, almond milk is a great plant-based milk choice for pudding. I used unsweetened so I can adjust the sweetness level.
Though the recipes for malabi and sahlab are similar, sahlab is served warm while malabi is served cold.
Recipe
Malabi (Dairy-Free Pudding)
Ingredients
For the pudding
- 3 ½ cups unsweetened plain almond milk divided (I used Silk brand)
- ⅓ cup cornstarch spooned and leveled (40 grams)
- 3 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons rose water
For the syrup topping
- 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam or another flavor like apricot, strawberry, or mixed berry(70 grams) (I used Smucker's Seedless Red Raspberry Jam)
- ½ teaspoon rose water
Optional and can be personalized
- Pomegranate arils + mint sprig for red jam topping
- Chopped pistachios and coconut flakes for orange jam topping
Instructions
For the pudding
- Whisk together ½ cup almond milk with cornstarch until dissolved. Set aside.
- Combine and simmer: Add 3 cups almond milk, sugar, cardamom and salt to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk to combine, and then bring to a simmer while whisking often, up to 5 minutes. Mixture may become frothy and foamy; make sure it doesn’t boil over.
- Add cornstarch and cook: Turn the heat to medium-low. Quickly re-whisk the cornstarch mixture, and slowly pour it into the hot milk mixture on the stove as you whisk. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and cook for 2 minutes, while continuing to whisk frequently to prevent burning. Mixture will thicken and is ready when it coats the back of a spoon.
- Add rose water: Remove pot from the stove, and whisk in the rose water.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove any small pieces.
- Spoon about ¾ cup of pudding into each of 4 serving glasses (7 to 8 ounces each). I used these glass dessert cups.
- Cover the pudding: Place plastic wrap inside the glasses, touching and covering the surface of the pudding to prevent a thick skin from forming.
- Cool: Allow the puddings to cool at room temperature for 1 hour, before placing them into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to set and firm up.
For the syrup topping
- Heat: Place water, sugar, and jam in a small pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, whisking often to break apart clumps of jam. Simmer for 1-2 minutes to dissolve the sugar.
- Add the rose water off the heat and mix.
- Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve/strainer and into a small bowl. Leave behind any fruit chunks from the jam. Syrup should be pourable.
- Let cool completely at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Assembly
- Assemble and serve: Add topping and garnish just before serving. Remove plastic wrap, and spoon 1-½ tablespoons of the fruit syrup on top of each pudding creating a colorful layer. Garnish as you prefer. I used pomegranate seeds with mint, and pistachios with coconut flakes. Serve cold.
Notes
- The pudding and syrup can be made up to 3 days ahead: refrigerated, covered, and stored separately.
- Do not freeze.
- If the pudding boils, lower the heat or remove it from the heat until the bubbling stops.
- Add the jam syrup to the pudding right before serving to prevent it from seeping and sinking to the bottom.
- Serve in a 7-8 oz glass cup or bowl to highlight layers. I like these dessert cups, or mason jars or martini glasses work nicely as well.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Research included writings from Jewish cooking historian Gil Marks and Israeli food expert Janna Gur.
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