Knafeh Bil Ashta

Place the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon to dissolve. Once it boils reduce heat to low and simmer for 7 minutes. Do not cover the saucepan. Add the orange blossom water and simmer for 1 more minute. Set aside to completely cool down, this step can be made a few days before, kept in the fridge covered!

Place the milk, cornstarch and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture boils and totally thickens. It takes about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the crushed mastic, (if used) and orange blossom water, stir one more time to homogenize the mix. Place a piece of parchment paper on top to prevent a skin from forming. Set aside to cool down.
Grind the pistachios: roughly grind the pistachios with a food processor

Defrost the shredded filo pastry if frozen. Lightly pull the dough with your hands to separate into a loose pile. Add to a food processor, you may probably need to do that in batches, and pulse a few times to considerably grind them. Melt the ghee over low heat and infuse well together with the grind kadaifi.
Grease the 6 round 12 cm/ 5 inches mini rimmed baking sheets with ghee, making sure to cover sides and bottom.
Using your hands, mix together the shredded filo pastry with the ghee.
Take a handful of the kadaifi and press it into the mini rimmed greased baking sheet and slightly up the sides. Use the bottom of a small flat cup. This will help keep an even thickness of the kadaifi crust around the sides and base. The thickness should be about 2 cm. Repeat with the remaining baking sheets.
Add about 3 tablespoons ashta (clotted cream) to each knafeh sheet to cover and level the surface.
Add the remaining shredded pastry to fully cover the ashta and press it gently with your hands to create a smooth connected surface
Bake in a preheated oven, to 200°C/400°F, about 8 minutes or until the edges around the knafeh sheets turn golden and crisp.
Remove from the oven, and loose the edges with a knife. Invert to a serving plate. The easiest way to flip your baked knafeh is to cover the baking pan with a pan with a larger baking sheet.
Evenly drizzle with 2 tablespoons of sugar syrup to each knafeh sheet Drizzle some more sugar syrup upon serving and garnish with pistachios! Sublime!!