Levantine cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Kollaj bil Ashta

Crisp baked phyllo rolls filled with cold ashta cream and drenched in orange blossom syrup.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 10 sheets phyllo dough
• 500 ml whole milk
• 200 ml cream
• 4 tbsp rice flour
• 2 tbsp sugar for the cream
• 3 tbsp orange blossom water
• 300 g sugar for the syrup
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 80 g butter
• 60 g pistachios

Instructions

1. For the syrup, boil 300 g sugar with 180 ml water and the lemon juice uncovered for 8–10 min., stir in 1 tbsp orange blossom water and let cool completely.
2. For the ashta, warm the milk, cream and 2 tbsp sugar, stir in the rice flour mixed with 5 tbsp cold milk and simmer for 5–6 min., stirring, until the cream clings thickly to the spoon.
3. Season the cream with 1 tbsp orange blossom water, spread into a shallow dish, cover directly with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour until firm enough to slice.
4. Brush pairs of phyllo sheets with melted butter, stack them, loosely roll into a cylinder and gently push both ends together so folds form.
5. Place the rolls on a baking sheet, brush with the remaining butter and bake in the preheated oven at 190 °C for 18–20 min. until evenly deep golden and audibly crisp.
6. Drizzle the hot rolls with the remaining orange blossom water and the cold syrup, fill with the cold ashta, sprinkle with chopped pistachios and serve immediately.