Marilus Cous Cous Dessert Recipes

MARILU'S COUS COUS

Steps:

• For the dough: Cous cous is cooked in a special double boiler called a couscousiera. A makeshift couscousiera can be made by placing a colander over a similar-size pot and sealing the two together with simple dough to prevent steam from escaping. To make the dough: Combine 1 cup flour with enough water to create dough. Roll the dough into a long rope and use as a seal.
• For the cous cous: Place half the durum wheat in a large bowl. Add splashes of water, salt, cinnamon, and extra-virgin olive oil, while stirring/raking the durum wheat in a circular motion with your hand. You should use approximately 1/2 the quantities of water, salt, cinnamon and extra-virgin olive oil at this point. Continue working in a circular motion, constantly stirring to moisten the grains evenly. Rub the mixture between your hands to remove any lumps that may form. If the mixture becomes too wet, add some more durum wheat, if it becomes too dry, add some more water. The mixture should form into small pellets. If you have not achieved small pellets, rub and rake some more. Add the remaining durum wheat, salt, cinnamon and extra-virgin olive oil and repeat the process above. Transfer the cous cous to a colander and embed the zest of 1 lemon in the cous cous. Rest the colander over a pot of boiling water. Let the cous cous steam for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Serve with seafood, stewed meats and/or vegetables, or use as a base for Marilu's cous cous dessert recipe follows.
• Place the cooked cous cous, butter, sugar, pine nuts, raisins, almonds, hazelnuts, and water in a mixing bowl. Thoroughly combine all the ingredients. Cover the bowl and let rest for at least 1/2 an hour. Butter a ramekin to prevent sticking. Firmly pack some cous cous mixture in the ramekin and invert onto an individual dessert plate, so that the form of the cous cous is released from the ramekin. Sprinkle with icing sugar. Repeat for other individual plates and serve.

EGYPTIAN SWEET COUSCOUS DESSERT

Steps:

• Bring fruit juice & rose water to a boil, add couscous, stir well, cover, remove from heat & let stand 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
• Rub well into grains 3 Tbs. melted sweet butter.
• Combine couscous with 1/4 cup each finely ground blanched almonds and pistachio nuts.
• Mound on serving platter and sprinkle with mixture of powdered sugar & cinnamon.
• Garnish with kufeta (candy-coated almonds) & pomegranate seeds.

MOROCCAN SWEET COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Place couscous in a bowl and pour in the hot water, stirring as you do (or prepare according package instructions) and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine nuts (except whole almonds), dried fruit, sugar and orange juice.
• Set couscous in a sieve above a saucepan of boiling water and steam it for 10 minutes.
• Rub in melted butter or margarine and then continue to steam for another 5 to 10 minutes.
• When ready to serve, mix nut and dried fruit mixture into the couscous and turn it out onto a serving dish.
• Decorate with whole almonds and sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon to serve.

COUSCOUS PUDDING WITH CARAMELIZED PECANS

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in couscous and salt. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand until water is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
• Stir milk and 1/4 cup sugar into the couscous; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook and stir until mixture is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in eggs. Return to stovetop and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until pudding is creamy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
• Let pudding cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Spoon into a bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill until set, at least 1 hour.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add pecans and 1/2 cup white sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until pecans are coated and caramel thickens, about 5 minutes. Serve pecans and caramel sauce on top or alongside the pudding.

SWEET AND NUTTY MOROCCAN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Pour the vegetable broth into a large saucepan, and bring to a boil. Add the butter, apricots, dates and raisins. Boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the couscous. Cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the cinnamon and toasted almonds, and serve.