Güllaç — Ottoman Milk and Rose Dessert

Delicate güllaç sheets softened with sweet milk are layered with walnuts, then chilled and decorated with pomegranate. The dessert is especially associated with Ramadan.

Serves 8 | Prep 25 minutes | Chill 3 hours

INGREDIENTS

• 10–12 güllaç sheets

• 1.5 litres whole milk

• 250 g sugar

• 1–2 tsp rosewater, optional

• 150 g walnuts, roughly chopped

• Pomegranate seeds

• Ground pistachios

METHOD

1. Warm the milk and sugar, stirring until dissolved. It should be comfortably hot, never boiling. Add rosewater if using.

2. Place one güllaç sheet, shiny side up, in a wide tray. Ladle warm milk over it until soft. Repeat with half the sheets.

3. Scatter walnuts evenly across the middle.

4. Continue layering and soaking the remaining sheets. Pour over any remaining milk.

5. Refrigerate at least 3 hours so the sheets become tender and the milk is absorbed.

6. Decorate with pomegranate and pistachio immediately before serving.

COOK’S NOTE

Boiling milk can make the sheets pasty. Use only a restrained amount of rosewater; milk and walnut should remain the leading flavors.