Halawet El Jibn
Description
“Halawet El Jibn” is an impressive-looking dessert that is easier to make than you might think, even with all the steps involved. Treat yourself to these delicious, sweet bites!I have been making “Halawet El Jibn” for so many years that, while writing this post, my mind naturally wandered back to memories of eating it at sweet shops in Lebanon—remembering how my mom prepared and served it, and how the recipe was passed down to family members and shared with friends.Food, much like culture itself, is a living thing. It evolves through the people who make it, share it, and connect with it. Whether you are hosting a celebration or simply in need of a little cheering up, “Halawet El Jibn” is the perfect answer when you’re craving a bit of sweetness and comfort.Watch the detailed video tutorial below and follow along as I show you how to make this beloved Lebanese dessert.
Ingredients
Lebanese Clotted Cream (Ashta)
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon mastic gum crushed with a pinch of sugar using a mortar and pestle
Sugar Syrup (Atter)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
Semolina-Cheese Dough
- 350 grams 12 oz mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup fine semolina farina, called fine farkha in Arabic
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cups water
- ¼ teaspoon mastic gum crushed with a pinch of sugar
- 2 tablespoons shelled pistachios for garnish
Instructions
To make the ashta (Middle Eastern clotted cream):
- Place the milk, heavy cream, cornstarch, and mastic in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly to prevent scorching. Once the liquid comes to a boil, the mixture will begin to thicken. (It should become quite thick.) Set aside, cover with a piece of parchment paper to prevent a skin from forming on the surface, and leave to cool completely.
To make the sugar syrup (atter):
- Place the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the 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 cool completely.
To make the semolina-cheeese dough:
- Add ¾ cup sugar, 1 cup fine semolina (farina), crushed mastic, and 1¼ cups water to a medium saucepan. Whisk the mixture together over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens completely.Reduce the heat to low, add the shredded mozzarella cheese, and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon or spatula until the cheese is fully incorporated. Continue stirring constantly until you have a smooth, uniform dough. This happens very quickly.Remove from the heat and set aside just until the dough is cool enough to handle. Divide the dough into two equal balls.
- Work with one of the halves. Place two equal-sized sheets of parchment paper underneath and on top of the dough, creating a kind of dough sandwich. Then, using your rolling pin, roll out the dough while keeping it sandwiched between the two sheets of parchment paper. Roll the dough as evenly as possible into a rectangle about 1 1/4 cm (1/2 inch) thick. Avoid making it any thinner, as the dough may poke through. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper, if you haven’t already done so.
- Use a ruler for this step. Cut the dough into a uniform rectangle; it doesn’t have to be perfectly shaped. Trim off the excess dough and set it aside. (It would be a crime to throw away those trimmed pieces—eat them later with some ashta and sugar syrup!)
- Using a pastry bag fitted with a large coupler, apply firm pressure to pipe a line of filling close to the edge of the dough, lengthwise. Starting at the end closest to you, carefully lift the edge of the parchment to bring the innermost edge of the semolina-cheese dough up and over the filling. Use the parchment to gently encourage the dough into a circular shape until the filling (ashta) is completely enclosed, with the seam facing down.Then, using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, carefully slice the log away from the remaining dough. Pipe the filling in the same manner along the remaining portion of the semolina-cheese dough, and repeat with the second piece of dough. I ended up with six logs in total.
- Using a sharp knife, cut into equal mini morsels, about 4–5 cm/1.5 inches long. Transfer them to a pretty platter and garnish each morsel with crushed pistachios. If you are lucky enough to have dried rose petals, add them for a more attractive garnish. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any where I live, but no worries if you can’t either—they’re simply there to add a pop of color. Serve with sugar syrup on the side.
Video
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate Halawet El Jiben for up to 4 days, covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out and to prolong its freshness.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!