Arabic Sweets

 

In Lebanon, carob molasses was traditionally used as an alternative to sugar. Mixed and served with tahini or sesame paste, for example, it is still eaten as a dessert called dibs bi tahini. In the early 20th century, it was customary for the people who produced dibs el kharrub in the Saida area and those who produced honey in the south to compete over which of their products was sweeter!!

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp. Tahini

2 tbsp. Carob Molasses

Lebanese warm Bread, Khobz

METHOD

Mix Carob molasses and Tahini together in a bowl. The ratio of mixing is usually half of each kind.

Serve after lunch especially on wintery days, along with Lebanese Khobz

 

NOTES

- The carob tree is an evergreen tree native to Palestine, Lebanon, Cyprus, and found across the Mediterranean.

- Carob molasses has a rich, chocolate-like flavor and can be used as an ingredient in sweet desserts or mixed with tahini, which is a sesame paste dibs bi tahini

- Carob molasses is a natural and healthy substitute for chocolate, rich in potassium, calcium, and phosphorous, and an important source of iron.

- Getting enough calcium in your diet is important for bone health, while iron is needed to help keep your body oxygenated.

- It can be used as an ingredient in many recipes that call for chocolate, yielding a higher fiber, lower fat, and lower sugar product.

 

Qatayef is a special delicious fragrant desert, and a beautiful Arabian pancake stuffed with ground walnuts, sweet cheese, or with clotted cream (ashta) filling. Qatayef with walnuts is a complete food without fat, if you want to eat Qatayef but you are afraid of its large calories, try the recipe for walnuts and enjojoy them without fear.! It is a special treat that provides energy. A great addition to your pancake repertoire!

Qatayef with walnuts is a whole food without fat…

Quantity Ingredients work 16 pieces

QATAYEF INGREDIENTS

2 cups White Flour

1/2 cup Semolina Flour

2 tbsp. Sugar

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. instant Dry Yeast

1/4 tsp. Salt

2 and 1/2 cups Warm Water

2 tbsp. Powdered Milk

1/3 tsp. Orange Blossom water

1/8 tsp. Ground Mahlab

FILLING

For Qatayef bil Jawz (with Walnuts)

1/2 cup finely ground Walnuts

2 tbsp. Sugar (you can omit it since they are eventually drenched in syrup)

1 tsp. Cinnamon Powder

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg Powder

2 tbsp. Rose Water

2 tbsp. Blossom Water

For Qatayef bil Jibnneh (with cheese)

16-ounce Akkawi Cheese

12 ounce Sweet Cheese or Mozzarella

3 tbsp. Sugar

1 tsp. Rose Water

1 tsp. Orange Blossom Water

Cover Akkawi cheese with several changes of cold water overnight, or until thoroughly de-salted. Drain on paper towels and crumble with a sieve into smaller pieces. Combine with remaining ingredients to an almost paste consistency.

 

For Qatayef bil Ashta (with clotted cream)

Fill pancakes with store-bought or homemade clotted cream.

SYRUP

3 cups Sugar

1 & 1/2 cup Water

1/2 Lemon, Juice

2 tsp. Rose Water

2 tsp. Blossom Water

TO MAKE THE SYRUP

Combine water, sugar, and lemon juice and cook on medium heat, unstirred until sugar almost dissolves and becomes transparent. Stir swirling the pan, bring to boil, swirl the pan once more and simmer 5 minutes until it turns into syrup. Cover for the last one or two minutes to allow steam to dissolve sugar crystals stuck to the sides of the pan. Add rose water and orange blossom water, set aside to cool.

TO MAKE THE QATAYEF

In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients well.

Add water and mix until everything is well incorporated, and let rest for 30 minutes until bubbly. -Once it is allowed to sit for an hour or two, the batter will be gooey but liquid, almost like heavy cream.

To cook Qatayef, preheat a small heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet on medium heat for seven minutes until the pan is evenly hot. Pour1/2 cup for each round, Hold spoon/cup about 5 inches above skillet and drop batter onto the middle of the pan in a slow steady stream and cook on one side only for 25 to 35 seconds until the batter has no visible wet spots you will notice bubbles forming on the surface and the surface is dry and bottom turn slightly golden color. Do not flip.

Quickly transfer onto a kitchen towel, uncooked side down, and cover. Repeat with the remaining batter, wiping the pan with a towel paper between each batch. -You need to experiment with your stove settings and different pans until you find what works for you. The first one or two pieces almost always fail. I start with only a tablespoon of batter until I get the pan heated just right.

Cool Qatayef for about 10 to 15 minutes before you fill them and use within an hour to prevent excessive drying. Add prepared filling to Qatayef, fold and pinch until completely sealed. Cover once again and repeat with the rest.

Brush both sides with butter and bake in a preheated 200-degree oven for 15 minutes. Flip over and bake for another 15 minutes or so until golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately drizzle with simple sugar syrup. Alternatively, deep-fry in oil until crunchy and golden, thoroughly drain on paper towels and drop them in sugar syrup to absorb and serve.

Qatayef with clotted cream (Ashta) or Ricotta cheese can be served either hot or at room temperature.

Qatayef stuffed with Akkawi cheese is best served hot.

Walnut Qatayef is best served at room temperature.

Notes

-Qatayef can be stuffed with sweet white cheese, clotted cream, or walnuts. You can prepare fillings ahead of time. Just make sure that the sugar syrup is made earlier and allowed to cool down to room temperature.

-To make a medium-sized Qatayef, measure 3 tbsp. of batter, four tbsp. for large and 2 tbsp. for bite-sized desserts.

-If surface bubbles do not easily form, your batter is too thick, just add some water and let it sit for a bit.

 

Sfouf, the Lebanese turmeric cake decorated with almonds is a sweet anise-infused cake that is popular in Lebanon. The turmeric gives it its yellowish color and texture. This is a simple, healthy, low fat and easy-to-make cake to please you and your loved ones!

INGREDIENTS

3 cups plain Flour

1 cup fine Semolina

2 cups Sugar

4 tbsp. powdered milk

3 tsp. Baking Powder

2 tsp. Turmeric powder

2 tbsp. powdered Anise

1 cup vegetable Oil

2 cups of Water

1/4 cup of Black Seeds, Almonds, or Pine nuts

2 large tbsp. Tahini

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to medium.

In a shallow bowl whisk the dry ingredients, flour, semolina, sugar, milk, baking powder, turmeric powder, and powdered anise.

Whisk the liquids, vegetable oil and water into the dry mixture until everything is well combined.

Grease a baking pan with Tahini.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth out the top.

Scatter the almonds evenly over the top of the batter.

Bake the sfouf cake at 350F for around 30 minutes on the middle rack of the oven.

Test it with a toothpick in the center to check if it comes out clean. Then run the broiler one minute to give a caramel color top and the almonds develop a golden color.

Cool on a wire rack and cut into squares or diamond shapes.