There is a charm about the month of Ramadan, and for some reason there are dishes people crave only during this holy month. Whether it’s the idea of fasting for a long time or just traditions brought forth across generations, sweets and in particular Arabic sweets are amongst the favorite indulgences in the evening. One of the popular arabic desserts is ” Halawat Al Jibn”, which means ” the sweetness of cheese” is just what the name implies, a dessert based on cheese. This is a household favorite and very popular in Lebanon specially in the Northern part of the country, i.e. in Tripoli.
Instead of waiting to visit Lebanon to try it, why don’t you try this Super Easy method, trust me you won’t regret it. For years we would gather around mom trying to steal bits and pieces of the dough that didn’t make the cut!
This dessert is comprised of 3 parts, the cheese dough, the syrup, and the cream filling ( ashta). For best results have the ashta and syrup prepared before you work on the cheese. Recipe (very easy) for both is found on the Atayef post i posted last year. Link.
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Ok let’s get to the real deal, for the cheese dough you will need:
500 grams Mozarella cut into strips
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1 cup fine semolina ( theen farkha in arabic)
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In a large pot, put the milk and sugar on low heat until dissolved. Add bit by bit the mozarella and stretch it as you go along. Keep adding and stretching then add gradually the fine semolina (theen farkha) and stretch the cheese until it’s all one piece like a dough. It has to be a smooth dough just like the photos.
On a clean countertop, put the syrup you already prepared (2 cups sugar, 1 cup water, 1 tsp rose water and orange blossom, a lemon squeeze). Lay the dough and roll it on the syrup.
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Cut the dough into squares and fill each square with the some of the Ashta ( cream filling, can be either fresh or home made as in Katayef recipe).
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Roll each of the squares and line them in the serving tray. Garnish with ground pistachios. As simple as that, trust me it tastes much better than store bought!
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try it and give me you feedback!
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Bon Apetit!
coming from a background of oriental sweets, i must say that this recipe has some innovation in the part of the cheese type 🙂
i guess that trying it to see the taste result will be a pleasant experience…
Comment by Zaher — 10 Aug ’12 @ 3:27 am
Well this recipe was actually created by my mom’s family who have been living in Australia for over 30 years. Back then access to Akkawi cheese was difficult so they had to innovate. Personally and almost most people who have tried this recipe admit it is tastier than the original one:) Plus it’s easy and can be prepared in no time:) I suggest you try it 🙂
Comment by Sahar — 10 Aug ’12 @ 2:30 pm
no comment
Comment by Amir Ghazale — 9 Jul ’13 @ 3:37 pm
But you just did 😛
Comment by Sahar — 9 Jul ’13 @ 9:34 pm
Well well well sahoura couldn't have done it better myself .
Comment by Samar Moussa Ghazale — 9 Jul ’13 @ 8:31 pm
Taught only by the best
Comment by Sahar — 9 Jul ’13 @ 11:34 pm
Really nice and tatst's very well!
Greatings from a Dutch Familly
Comment by Olaf — 1 Feb ’14 @ 9:07 pm
I must say when I saw this recipe I was like huh?!?!?! Milk so not gna work. I have tried many recipes and the one on dedemeds website worked a few times with me then stopped working the semoline and cheese wont attach. So I thought might aswell give this a try. As I was cooking it the cheese alone started to become like dough. I then added the semoline and it would connect. As I was thinkin to myself what a waste suddenly it all came together in the end. Hardly took anytime. Will always use this recipe with the milk (a little more calories but oh well its once a month).
If you have tried doing halawet el jebn with water not milk and have failed YOU MUST TRY THIS. You just cant go wrong.
Thanks alot for this
P.S I use white mozarella cheese not yellow. Still works
Comment by hiya — 8 Mar ’14 @ 10:32 pm
Glad it turned out well:) Bon Apetit!
Comment by Sahar — 10 Mar ’14 @ 5:14 pm
Beyond amazing recipe.. My husband is addicted to this stuff but so expensive in stores. This recipe truly is easy and 1/5 of the price
Comment by noha — 18 Mar ’14 @ 11:34 pm
I' glad you like it 🙂
Comment by Sahar — 19 Mar ’14 @ 12:37 pm
great recipe .
Comment by George Gebara — 13 Dec ’14 @ 7:06 pm
Did you just use the normal salty morzella cheese from woollies and Coles??
Comment by Yara — 24 Feb ’16 @ 9:53 am
The mozzarella i use is not usually salty, it's just the normal one you use for pizza.
Comment by Sahar — 24 Feb ’16 @ 4:16 pm
Hi
Can you please tell us the original traditional recipe. I respect that your parents have improvised with the ingredients available to them back then but currently everything is accessible and I’m married to an Arab n I’m a non Arab but love these traditional recipes and sweets. I will be so grateful to you if you can teach us the original one. Thanks
Comment by Nadia — 18 May ’16 @ 9:27 pm
Hi Nadia, the original one is very similar to this one except they use Akkawi cheese which has been soaked and washed several times because it is very salty. Using mozzarella here just saves time & effort. As for the filling, you will have to get ready made Ashta, this is a process difficult to make at home. Just like cheese is not easy to make at home. Other than that everything else is the same! Hope that helps.
Comment by Sahar — 24 May ’16 @ 10:52 pm