need ideas for a pudding to go with these dishes

[lirael]

Am doing a selection of Middle eastern dips with filo cheese straws, followed by fatteh, which is a Lebanese sharing platter - layers of pilau rice, lamb, tomato sauce, yoghurt, toasted pitta.

Stuck on a pudding. Any ideas?

Baklava

I don't like them sadly - too sweet

How about figs marinated in a bit of red wine or sherry, with Greek yogurt and honey on top. You can sling a few flaked almonds over for texture too -yum

I'd do some kind of pomegranate pavlova.

If you can get good oranges, this is a lovely and refreshing fruit salad - with dates, rosewater and fresh mint.

kitchensunk.blogspot.co.uk/2007/11/moro-recipes-orange-and-date-salad-with.html?m=1

Ooh yes lovely ideas thank you. I had a thought earlier - Nigellas clementine cake, served as a pudding rather than a cake?

Turkish delight/rose ice cream with spiced shortbread. Rice pudding. Kunefe. Lemon curd pavlova. Lemon tart.

I'm not much help here, and I can't find the book I had it from, but I once made a middle eastern rosewater rice pudding with crumbled pistachios and rose petals which was so light and delicious, it wasn't like a rice pudding at all. If anyone knows what on earth i'm on about great, I'll keep looking for the recipe in the meantime.

lirael was about to suggest Nigella's Chocolate Orange Cake, (haven't tried the clementine version) think it would work brilliantly. Ginger dipped in dark chocolate would be nice too with grapes and a soft cheese.

The clementine version is lovely 21meals - I usually put tempered chocolate on the top with little gold stars, but I think if I do it for this meal I'll just serve it plain with crème fraiche as main meal is very filling. All other ideas great too - love the idea of spiced shortbread, but I'm not very keen on the flavour of rosewater in food, which is a shame where middle eastern cookery is concerned! Love pavlova but the people coming did that for pudding when we went there, which I know doesn't matter that much, but it would be nice to do something different. I love meal planning!

Cake is always good, my Sudanese friend does one which sounds similar to the Nigella one, it's made with almond flour then drenched in orange syrup. Would be amazing with ice cream. you could add booze to the syrup too Unfortunately I don't have the recipe but yeah, the cake is traditional and will work.

Chopped pistachios, good yogurt, rosewater, figs/dates all on the table for people to help themselves to is good too.

Orange cake with pomegranate syrup?

Baked figs with cardamom and ginger. Dollop of Greek yoghurt and some chopped pistachios to serve. Maybe some orange zest as well?

nigella does a fab pomegranate icecream, which is a no churn one. it has lime in it which gives it a fab sherbety aspect.

Quince jelly (with spices and whole quince bits) is fab too.

Or baked quince.