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Lebanese Halawet Jibin (cream filled cheese rolls)

Semolina cheese rolls filled with fluffy ashta

Course Dessert
Cuisine Lebanese, Middle Eastern
Keyword Dessert, Sweet, Traditional
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 6
Author Zaatar and Zaytoun

Ingredients

For the ashta

  • 6 cups of milk divided
  • 3 tablespoon white vinegar
  • a squeeze of lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoon sugar
  • ⅓ cup of cornstarch cornflour
  • ⅓ cup of whipping or single cream
  • 1-2 teaspoons orange blossom water

For the orange blossom syrup

  • ½ teaspoon of orange blossom water
  • ½ cup of sugar
  • ¼ cup of water

For the cheese semolina dough

  • 1.5 cup water
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 cup fine semolina
  • 2 cups 'pizza' mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
  • ½ cup crushed pistachios

Instructions

To make the ashta

  1. In a pot, heat up 4.5 tablespoon of the milk on medium heat until small bubbles start to form around the edges (before it boils)
  2. Then reduce the heat to the lowest, and add the vinegar and a squeeze of lemon juice to the milk so curds start to form
  3. Turn off the hear and scoop out the curds (areesha), transfer to a strainer (sieve) to drain and set aside. You don't need the extra liquid for this recipe
  4. In another pot, add the cornstarch to 1.5 cups of milk and whisk by hand until combined, then add the sugar and cream, and stir on medium heat until it starts to thicken at which point you turn off the heat
  5. Let the pastry cream cool for around 5-10 minutes before adding the areesha and orange blossom water, and combine together
  6. Let the ashta cool for another 15 minutes before adding plastic wrap to the top to avoid a crust forming. Set aside

To make the orange blossom syrup

  1. Stir together the water and sugar, bring to the boil then simmer for five minutes on low
  2. Add the orange blossom water, swirl around and turn off the heat. Set aside

For the cheese semolina dough

  1. In a medium pot add the water, orange blossom water and sugar on medium heat until the sugar dissolves

  2. Then add the semolina and stir constantly for up to a minute with a spatula making sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot

  3. When it has thickened slightly turn down the heat to lowest and add the cheese and orange blossom water. Stir thoroughly until the cheese melts and you have a stretchy dough like texture. Turn off the heat and let it cool for around 15 mins

  4. Divide the dough into half and drizzle a little bit of orange blossom syrup between two freezer bags or plastic wrap (roughly 20x30 cm), roll out the dough in between until it's around ½ cm thick

  5. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to neaten the edges into a rectangle, then either with a piping bag or small spoon add a colomn of ashta leaving a 1 inch margin
  6. Then use the plastic wrap to lift and roll the ajeen dough up over itself, ensuring the bottom overlaps and seals, before slicing away the log. Repeat with the remaining dough and ashta till you have several logs
  7. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a few hours to chill completely

  8. When you are ready to serve, use a pizza cutter to slice the logs into bitesize pieces under 2 inches long, garnish with crushed pistachios and either drizzle orange blossom syrup on top or serve with a small dipping bowl

  9. Store extra halawet jibin in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Recipe Notes

You should try and make the ashta and orange blossom syrup a few hours before so they cool and are easier to handle

Buy Mozzarella cucina or 'pizza' mozzarella cheese suitable for cooking