This is similar recipe to shortbread, however, traditional flavourings are added which gives it an authentic Lebanese taste. The dough is cut out into individual biscuits made into different shapes: round ones, coiled, diagonals or even rectangular and topped with pistachio nuts or almonds. They go well with tea or coffee and are ideal to take on picnics. Whether you are using your hands or food processor, try not to overwork the dough because it can become very soft as the heat may turn the fat into a slurry-like consistency. Therefore, speed is important.

As a child, it always fascinated me the way the different shapes were stacked on top of each other shining with snow-like white colour. This is something I couldn’t achieve, for my Ghraybeh biscuits always come out with a slight tinge of gold but still have an exquisite taste.

Makes about 20 medium sized

Ingredients

• 150 g/ 5 oz icing sugar
• 150 g/ 5 oz butter at room temperature
• 300 g/ 11oz  plain flour
• 2 tbsp of each orange flower and rose water

• You also need 2 or 3 baking sheets (depending on the size you have) lined with baking parchment

Method

1. Cream icing sugar and butter until smooth, then, fold in the flour and mix well. It will look crumbly to start but as you add the flavourings, the dough will bind together. If it is too soft, let it rest for about 10 minutes in the fridge.
2. To make the coiled shape. Take a small portion of the dough, roll it out with your hands on a floured surface and make a sausage shape,1.25 cm ( a little over ½ inch)  thick and 12 cm (4¾ inches) long. Next join both ends of the sausage, press one pistachio nut or an almond if you prefer (in fact any type of nut works) at the intersection, transfer immediately onto the lined baking sheet.
3. For the ordinary biscuit shape. On a floured surface and using a slightly dusted rolling pin, roll out the dough to about 1cm (½ inch) thickness. Take a 5 cm (2 inches) round pastry cutter, insert into the dough, cut and transfer onto the baking sheet. Do likewise with the trimmings until you have used all of it.
4. For the diamond shape. 5 cm (2 inches) for the sides and 1cm (½ inch) thickness. Use the same method as with the round ones.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC (fan oven) 400ºF for about 12 minutes until they start to turn slightly golden.
6. Leave them to cool completely on the baking sheet, although they are delicious when they are still warm.

NB: These biscuits keep well in an airtight container for a few days.  

The pastry looks like thin white hair, compressed together to form a bloc, so you need to disentangle it before cooking, available at most of the Turkish and Lebanese grocery shops. It is sold frozen, vacuum packed and even fresh. The Turkish call it Kadayefi and the Lebanese Osmalliyeh or Knefeh sha’r (hair) to distinguish it from the Knefeh mafroukeh (where the pastry is rubbed to attain a crumbly texture). The latter is commonly used to prepare our traditional breakfast Knefeh bil Jibin (Sweetened Cheese topped with Pastry).

Osmalliyyeh is a Turkish word attributed to Osmans meaning the Turks. Though the letter n has disappeared, it, actually, originates from Osmanli meaning the Imperial House of Osman. They were the Ottoman dynasty who ruled the Ottoman Empire that stretched across much of the Middle East including Lebanon. So, I guess this dessert dates back to the time of the Ottomans.

It is an elegant dessert and you can vary its sweetness to your liking. The combination of Ashtah with toasted shredded pastry, ground pistachio nuts and sugar syrup gives this dessert an exquisite soft crumbly taste. 

There are several ways to serve Osmalliyeh, the old traditional one consists of sandwiching Ashtah between two round layers of shredded pastry. However, it sounds nowadays old fashioned, and the more I visit Lebanese restaurants, the more I become amazed by the sophisticated way they present it. So, I decided to create my own version which is very simple, relatively light and providing you don’t add Ashtah or clotted cream immediately, it will keep for a couple or even three days.

Serves 4 – 6 (depending how thick you want the layers)

Ingredients

• ½ quantity Ashtah (See recipe in Desserts) or clotted cream.
• 1 quantity Ater or sugar syrup (See recipe in Desserts).
• Enough softened butter to grease the bottom of the baking dish.
• 250 g / 9 oz Osmalliyyeh (shredded pastry).
• Aerosol can of cooking oil (low calories) to spray the top of the pastry.
• 100 g / 4 oz pistachio nuts coarsely ground.
• Candied rose petals for decoration (optional).

• You also need a non-stick baking dish, measuring 30 x 23 cm (12 x 9 inches)
• 6 standard ramekins lightly greased with flavourless oil

Method

1. Prepare The Ashtah (clotted cream) and sugar syrup as described in their respective recipes.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 190°C / 375°F. Grease the baking dish with the softened butter.
3. Disentangle the shredded pastry by pulling the threads gently apart then spread evenly in the greased baking dish. Spray the top generously with the fat, making sure that all the pastry is moistened. 
4. Pop it in the oven, it should take about 15 to 20 minutes to reach a nice golden colour. However, what I noticed is that some sections and more specifically the edges change colour before other parts. This is where you have to be really watchful and not move away, take the dish out and stir the pastry gently to ensure both evenness of cooking and colour.
5. Once the baking time is finished, divide the pastry between the ramekins. Squeeze tight and press firmly so it holds an even round shape. You can leave it like that as long as you need.
6. When you are ready to serve. Simply loosen the edges with a table knife, take a dessert serving plate, then holding it against the ramekin, tip the latter up side down. Spread about 2 generous tablespoons of Ashtah (clotted cream). Sprinkle generously with pistachio nuts, and if you like more colours, decorate with candied rose petals. Drizzle some sugar syrup and serve at once with the sugar syrup on the side.
7. For a double decker, divide the cooked pastry between 8 ramekins (instead of 6). Proceed as above for the bottom layer, spread the Ashtah. Tip the top layer on something slippery like a parchment paper, then very gently slide it on top of the Ashtah. Now add a dollop of Ashtah on the second layer, sprinkle generously with pistachio nuts then, if you like, decorate with candied rose petals. Serve as described above.

 Uncooked Shredded Pastry

Cooked Shredded Pastry

The assembled dessert.

Halawet el Jebn

This is basically white cheese usually the Lebanese Akkawi incorporated into semolina to create sheets, similar to a thin white cloth. The confectioners of Tripoli (Lebanon’s major northern city) excel in it. Halawet el Jebn has been their trade mark for centuries. I remember as a child that there was always excitement when someone brought us Halawet el Jebn from Tripoli. It can be tricky to make at home but not difficult when you get used to it. That is why I am suggesting a small quantity of ingredients to begin with, you can always double these later, it is worth practicing. The combination of cheese and semolina topped with Ashtah (clotted cream) and crushed pistachio gives this dessert a distinguished delightful taste.

Akkawi cheese is the ideal one for cooking, however, its high salt content means that it needs soaking in cold water, changing it several times to get rid of the saltiness. If Akkawi cheese is not available, use Mozzarella which is perfect because most of the brands have no or very little salt. The harder Mozzarella which is often used for pizza topping is ideal.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 quantity of sugar syrup (See recipe).
• 250 g /  9 oz Akkawi or Mozzarella cheese
• 100 g / 4 oz fine semolina
• 2 tbsp of each orange flower and rose water

To serve

• 100 g / 4 oz  Ashtah (clotted cream: See recipe)
• 2 tbsp crushed pistachio nuts

You also need a non-stick, medium sized pan with thick bottom and a rolling pin

Method

1. If using Akkawi cheese, slice it thinly before you soak in cold water for a few hours, (changing the water several times). Mozzarella does not require soaking but you need to slice it thinly.
2. Prepare the sugar syrup shortly before cooking the cheese. You need to have the syrup slightly warm, so it would be easier to handle. Measure 60 ml / 2¼ oz and keep aside for adding later to the cooking cheese.
3. Using low to medium heat, melt the cheese completely, you need it runny and no lumps. You do not need to stir at this stage but be watchful. Meanwhile, moisten the working surface generously with 3 tbsp of the sugar syrup.
4. Next, stir the reserved syrup into the melted cheese and mix well. Once this is achieved, gradually, add the semolina, orange flower and rose water. This is where you need to stir vigorously and continuously until you get a dough-like mixture that binds together and pulls away from the sides of the pan. This is very fast procedure that takes only a few minutes. 
5. Quickly and carefully (remember the dough is very hot), tip the dough into the working surface that you moistened with syrup earlier. Moisten a roller pin with sugar syrup and roll out the dough into a square (or rectangle) shape to a thickness of about 3-4 mm / 1/8 inch, (don’t worry if you don’t get it right because the toppings and especially the taste will prevent people from noticing any misshapes). Let it cool then cut into mini rectangles 5 cm x 3 cm / 2 inches x 1¼ inches. Arrange on a platter, try not to pile too many as they may stick (2 rectangle sheets are fine). If you are not eating immediately, cover and chill.
6. There are 2 ways of serving this dessert. The first one: allow 2 sheets per person of Halawet el Jebn, put it on a plate, top it with Ashtah or clotted cream, sprinkle generously with crushed pistachio nuts and let people help themselves to drizzle the sugar syrup.
7. The other way is to put about 1 tbsp of Ashtah or clotted cream in the middle of each rectangular sheet, roll it up so it looks like a roll, dust generously with the crushed pistachio nuts and serve passing the sugar syrup round.

 NB. Ideally, it is better to top or fill Halawet el Jebn with Ashtah or clotted cream just before serving. Halawet el Jebn keeps up to 3 days if covered with clingfilm, chilled and left unfilled with Ashtah.

The cooked dough.

Coating the rolling pin with Ater.

Rolling out the dough.

Cutting up the dough.

When I was reading the literature about clotted cream, I came across the making of Cornish clotted cream. What struck me is the similarity of the technique with the Lebanese one: Ashtah. I copied the following observation from the website of Roddas of Cornwall:

“It is said that clotted cream is made nowhere in the world save Cornwall, Devon and Lebanon – the art of cream-making being exchanged with the Phoenicians seeking Cornish tin as long ago as 500BC”

http://www.roddas.co.uk/roddas.html.

Like the Cornish clotted cream, Ashtah is used as a dessert filling or as an accompaniment to some desserts. Sometimes, it is eaten on its own topped with honey and nuts, such as almonds and pine nuts. In addition, the consistency or texture of Ashtah makes it suitable for the cooking process in some desserts such as Znood al Sitt (Lady’s Arms – small rolls filled with Ashtah and deep fried, then dipped in sugar syrup).

Like most clotted creams, Ashtah does not keep for long. Here is my home-made substitute version.

Makes about 450g / 1 lb

Ingredients

• 600 ml / 1 pint whole milk
• 2 thick slices of white bread (weighing about 120 g/ 4½ oz), crust removed and preferably one day old
• 300 ml / 10 fl oz (½ pint) extra thick double cream or the same amount of crème fraiche
• 1 tbsp of each orange flower and rose water

Method

1. Tear the white bread and whizz in the food processor to make fine bread crumbs.
2. Pour the milk into a medium sized pan with thick bottom, tip the bread crumbs into the milk and mix. Using medium heat, bring the mixture to boil, then let it simmer gently, stirring occasionally (to prevent any sticking), until the mixture becomes thick, this should take about 15-20 minutes. At this final stage, you can add the flavourings, give the mixture a good stir then switch off the heat.
3. Transfer the mixture into a non-metallic bowl, let it cool completely, cover and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours
4. When you want to use it, simply add the extra thick cream or crème fraiche to the mixture and mix well with a spoon.     
5. This Ashtah keeps well for up to 3 days in the fridge.