Desserts · The home kitchen
Halawet Jeben
Halawet Jeben pairs a tender sweet cheese wrapper with a cool ashta filling, so its appeal depends as much on texture as on sweetness. This home version uses mozzarella for a readily available cheese and purchased ashta to keep the project manageable. Rolling the dough while it is still pliable and filling it only after it cools slightly are the two important stages. The finished pieces should feel soft rather than crisp. A light orange blossom syrup and chopped pistachios complete the plate without burying the creamy center under extra sweetness.
A home-style recipe inspired by our menu. Restaurant preparation, portions and ingredients may differ.
Make it at home
Halawet Jeben recipe
- Serves
- 6
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Rest / chill
- 30 min
- Total
- 75 min
Ingredients
- 250 g low-moisture mozzarella, finely grated
- 100 g fine semolina
- 160 ml water for the dough
- 50 g granulated sugar for the dough
- 1 tsp orange blossom water for the dough
- 250 g purchased chilled ashta cream
- 1 tsp neutral oil for rolling
- 30 g finely chopped pistachios
- 80 g granulated sugar for the syrup
- 80 ml water for the syrup
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp orange blossom water for the syrup
Method
Combine the syrup sugar, 80 ml water and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Simmer for 4 minutes after the sugar dissolves. Take off the heat, stir in 1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water and cool.
Lightly oil two sheets of baking parchment. Measure the ashta and keep it refrigerated until needed.
Bring 160 ml water and 50 g sugar to a simmer in a nonstick saucepan. Stir in the semolina and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes until very thick.
Lower the heat and add the mozzarella in three batches. Stir firmly until the cheese melts into a smooth, stretchy dough, about 3–5 minutes. Mix in 1 teaspoon orange blossom water.
While the dough is warm enough to roll, place it between the parchment sheets and roll into a rectangle roughly 25 by 30 cm. Peel off the top sheet and let the dough become barely warm, about 5 minutes.
Cut the rectangle into two 12.5 by 30 cm strips. Pipe 125 g ashta along one long edge of each strip. Use the parchment to roll each strip around the filling, placing the seam underneath.
Chill the rolls for 30 minutes. Cut each into six pieces, garnish with pistachios and serve two pieces per person with a little cooled syrup.
Make it your own.
- Fine semolina gives a smoother dough than coarse semolina.
- Do not add the ashta while the dough is hot; the filling can loosen and leak.
- Refrigerate filled rolls in a covered container and use within the ashta manufacturer’s storage guidance.