Sakizli muhallebi

Sakızlı Muhallebi is a traditional Turkish dessert, a creamy milk-based pudding flavored with mastic (sakız in Turkish). Mastic, a resin from the mastic tree, imparts a distinctive pine-like, slightly sweet aroma that defines the dessert. The pudding is made by gently heating milk and sugar, then thickening it with cornstarch or wheat flour. Finely ground mastic is added during cooking to blend its unique flavor into the mixture. Served chilled in individual bowls or decorative dishes, it often features garnishes like ground cinnamon, crushed nuts, or powdered sugar.