Levantine cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Halawet el Jibn

Delicate rolls of cheese-semolina dough with ashta cream, soaked in sugar syrup and coated in pistachios.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 300 g mozzarella (unsalted, well drained)
• 150 g fine semolina
• 200 g sugar, for the syrup
• 250 ml water
• 400 ml whole milk
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp sugar, for the cream
• 2 tbsp rose water
• 2 tbsp orange blossom water
• 1 splash of lemon juice
• 50 g pistachios

Instructions

1. For the syrup, boil the sugar for the syrup with 150 ml water, 1 tbsp each of rose and orange blossom water and the splash of lemon at a rolling boil for 8 min, then let cool completely.
2. For the ashta, whisk the whole milk with the cornstarch and the sugar for the cream, bring to a boil while stirring and simmer for 2-3 min, until a very thick cream forms; season with the remaining rose water and chill.
3. Bring the remaining 100 ml water to a boil with 4 tbsp of the cooled syrup, stir in the semolina and stir over low heat for 2 min, until a smooth, glossy paste forms.
4. Add the grated mozzarella and keep stirring over gentle heat for 5-8 min, until an elastic dough forms that pulls away from the bottom of the pot as a whole mass.
5. Turn the dough out onto a work surface brushed with syrup, roll out 3 mm thin, cut into 8 cm wide strips, place 1 tbsp ashta on each and roll up loosely.
6. Drizzle the rolls with the remaining orange blossom water and syrup, coat generously in chopped pistachios and serve lukewarm.