This dessert, infused with orange blossom water, is prepared with semolina and cheese and filled with ashtah (a thick clotted cream that is popular throughout the Middle East, made by boiling fresh milk and skimming off the thin skin that forms on its surface). You can buy ashtah from Middle-Eastern supermarkets or dessert shops; however, because ashtah is difficult to come by in Australia and making it at home takes time, I have substituted an easy recipe for you. In an alternative version of halawet el-jeben, the semolina is mixed with sugar syrup first, then the cheese is added. Both versions are perfectly okay; choose the one that is most convenient for you.
Ingredients 15
Sugar Syrup
Ashtah Filling
Halawet El Jeben
To Garnish
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Method 16
To prepare sugar syrup: Combine and in a pot and bring to a boil. Once the mixture boils, add and , and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
To make ashtah (filling): In a non-stick saucepan, combine the , , and . Whisk until well combined.
Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring continuously.
Add the , bring the mixture to a boil for a few minutes, until the texture thickens and becomes creamy. Remove from the heat and pour into a glass tray. Cool in the refrigerator for one hour.
Gently fold the into the ashtah; we're looking for a clumpy texture here. Refrigerate until ready to use for the filling.
To make halawet el-jeben roll: Strain and rinse the and . Cut the into pieces. In a non-stick pot, add and , turn the heat to medium, and then add the cheese. Stir the cheese gently until it turns into one melted, stretchy piece of cheese.
Gradually add the to the cheese, stirring quickly and continuously. Add the and keep stirring until it forms thin strings and becomes stretchy. Once done, it should look like a large piece of dough. Cool it down for around 5 minutes at room temperature.
Cut it into 2 equal halves and work with one half at a time.
Start by covering your work surface with cling film (50 cm x 50 cm). Pour about 3-5 tbsp sugar syrup on the cling film. Place one piece of dough on it, roll it in the sugar syrup a couple of times, cover it with another layer of cling film, and roll out the dough into a rectangle sheet until it reaches your desired thickness - a thickness of 2-3 mm is ideal.
Trim the edges of the dough to create a neat rectangle sheet. Place the rectangle with the long side nearest you.
Fill a piping bag with the cream filling and cut off about 2 cm of the tip. Pipe a line of the cream across one end of the cheese sheet, leaving about 1 cm on the long side closest to you.
Wrap the sweet cheese sheet around the ashtah/cream, using the cling film to help with the shaping, to form a tube shape, allowing an overlap of about 1 cm of cheese sheet.
Cut off the excess dough with a sharp knife. Set the tube aside. Repeat the piping and rolling until all of the dough has been used. Repeat the steps with the other piece of dough.
Wrap each roll in a separate piece of cling film and leave it in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
To serve, cut the roll into small pieces, about 3-5 cm in length, and place them on a serving plate. Sprinkle with crushed raw pistachios and dried rose petals or rose petal jam.
Drizzle with .
Racha Syrian Kitchen's tips
Halawet el Jeben is a delicate dessert made with fresh ingredients like milk, cheese, and cream, which can spoil easily. To maintain its texture and freshness, it should always be stored in the refrigerator.
