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There are plenty of irresistible Middle Eastern desserts, but this Osmalieh with Ashta recipe truly steals the show. This delicious Osmalieh is easy-to-follow and will surely captivate anyone lucky enough to tying it out!
This delicious dessert is both sweet and crunchy. It is a delectable treat featuring buttery stringy phyllo dough, filled with a creamy homemade ashta, baked to a golden brown perfection!
Creamy with a Hint of Crunch
Table of Contents
- What Is Osmalieh with Ashta?
- Understanding Shredded Phyllo Dough
- Ingredients for Osmalieh with Ashta
- Recipe Tip
- Ashta: The Base of Every Middle Eastern Dessert
- Variations
- Tips for the Best Osmalieh with Ashta
- Storage Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Dessert Recipes You May Want to Try:
- Osmalieh Dessert with Ashta Recipe
What Is Osmalieh with Ashta?
Osmalieh with Ashta is a very popular and special Middle Eastern dessert. Many people tend to purchase it ready-made from shops, assuming it to be complicated to prepare. However, it is quite the contrary; it is so easy and simple to make from scratch.
Osmalieh itself is typically phyllo dough coated with a generous amount of butter and cooked to a golden brown color.
But, it does not end there. It is then filled with homemade clotted cream, known as ashta, which is packed with traditional Middle Eastern flavors. Finally, drizzles of simple syrup are added on top to grant the dessert the desired level of sweetness!
Understanding Shredded Phyllo Dough
Phyllo dough, also known as filo dough, is typically a dough that comes in thin sheets used in making desserts like baklava.
However, the dough used in Osmalieh is shredded phyllo dough, which is also known as kataifi or Osmalieh dough.
The latter differs from the traditional phyllo dough, which comes in thin sheets, while the shredded version looks like thin, delicate strands that appear like hair, as seen in the picture below.
The great thing about this pastry is that it cooks quickly, achieving a dreamy golden color and a super crunchy texture! Also, you can use this dough in other desserts or as a substitution for other doughs when you need a crunchy base.
Shredded Phyllo Magic!
Ingredients for Osmalieh with Ashta
- Kataifi dough (shredded phyllo dough)
- Unsalted butter
- Simple syrup
- Ashta
- Ground pistachio for garnish
(Scroll down for recipe details)
Recipe Tip
You can double the simple syrup (ater) recipe, for those who would love to elevate the level of sweetness in their piece.
Ashta: The Base of Every Middle Eastern Dessert
Ashta is a delightful aromatic sweet cream used in many Middle-Eastern desserts. Here is a simple and Easy Ashta Recipe blog for you.
You will only need the following simple ingredients to prepare the best ashta out there!
- Ricotta cheese
- Milk or heavy cream
- Rose water
- Corn starch
- Sugar
Buttery Strands with Silky Fragrant Ashta!
Variations
This version of Osmalieh is absolutely going to become addictive during Ramadan and honestly whenever you are craving a luscious Middle Eastern dessert.
Besides, there are variations that make this incredible treat even easier and more luxurious. Take a look on some of them:
Osmalieh Cups: If you thought that Osmalieh could not get any easier, then you are most definitely wrong. Osmalieh cups, or as some people might call, Osmalieh bites, is an extremely easy recipe where the buttered phyllo dough is baked in a well-greased cupcake mold before being filled with silky ashta and topped with a drizzle of simple syrup and pistachios.
Fruity Osmalieh: Here is a fruity and a refreshing twist on the traditional Middle Eastern dessert, where you can add fresh strawberries, mangoes, bananas, berries, or any fruit of your choice to the filling. You can either blend the fruits with the ashta, or just add some on top of the filling. No matter which way you choose, it is sure to be epic!
Golden Brown Vermicelli with Sweet Middle Eastern Clotted Cream
Tips for the Best Osmalieh with Ashta
It is extremely important to allow the ashta to cool down before adding it to the Osmalieh. If you add it warm, the Osmalieh will most definitely lose its crunchy texture.
When you are distributing the phyllo dough in the baking pan, make sure you cover the pan evenly to achieve an even baking.
Don’t hesitate to be generous with ashta when filling your Osmalieh. It is called Osmalieh with Ashta for a reason!
Make sure that you place the Osmalieh in a preheated oven.
Osmalieh is a very delicate dessert, and the dough can easily be burned, so it is better to keep a close eye on it while baking in the oven.
It is vital to let the Osmalieh sit for some time on the counter before flipping it onto another round pan.
Once you place the Osmalieh on your serving plate, drizzle it with simple syrup, and then garnish it with pistachios or even dried rose petals. You do you!
Storage Tips
Osmalieh with Ashta is best served and enjoyed warm. Cooked Osmalieh dough should not be refrigerated for long as it can lose its crunchy texture. However, raw Osmalieh dough can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months if stored properly.
Ashta, on the other hand, can be kept separately in the fridge for up to 3 days if stored in an air-tight container. However, freezing it is not quite recommended since it may liquefy once it defrosts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Simple syrup is a traditional Middle Eastern aromatic sugary syrup that people drizzle over some of the most famous Arabic desserts, such as, Kunafa, Atayef, Halawet El Riz, and many more. It is considered a staple in every Middle Eastern household, for no traditional dessert can be enjoyed without its captivating fragrance. Here is an easy Orange Blossom Water Syrup (Lebanese Ater) recipe.
Orange blossom water is a famous Middle Eastern flavoring agent used in almost every dessert. It is initially produced by distilling the blossoms of the bitter orange tree. It is very aromatic, slightly sweet, and has a charming floral flavor.
This dessert has many variations, with names differing across the Levant region. Yes, Palestinian Knafeh uses ktaifi dough or shredded phyllo dough. However, the dough in the latter is dyed in orange-red color and filled with a combination of ackawi and mozzarella cheese, while our epic dessert over here is filled with creamy ashta. They share similarities, but the filling remains different.
Dessert Recipes You May Want to Try:
- Rose Water Bread Pudding
- Atayef (Middle Eastern Pancakes)
- Date Nut Bars
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Halawet El Riz – Rice and Cheese Cream
- Warbat Bil Ashta (Shaabiyat)
- Lebanese Maamoul Cookies
- No Bake Graham Cracker Coffee Cake
- No Bake Marshmallow Crunch Cookies
- No Bake Chocolate Covered Coconut Biscuit Date Balls
Osmalieh Dessert with Ashta
Ingredients
- 1 package kataifi dough
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- Ashta , (recipe link under simple syrup)
- simple syrup
- ground pistachio , for garnish
Simple Syrup
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon blossom water
- 2 tablesooons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 ℉ Grease round 10 x 2 inch pan with butter or cooking spray.
- Melt 1 stick of butter. Separate and pull apart the Filo dough until it is all loose and apart. Then massage all throughout the pulled apart Filo.
- Take half the amount of phyllo and press down into the pan and upward around the edges.
- Next layer the ashta cream all around, then add the other half of the phyllo dough to cover all the ashta.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. You can broil for 2 minutes if it is not browning.
- Flip onto a round pan and drizzle simple syrup. Enjoy!
Simple Syrup
- Bring to boil 2 cups of sugar, 1 cup of water, 1 tablespoon blossom water and a squeeze of lemon to a boil.
- Simmer for 15 minutes until syrup has thickened. Once it cools it will become slightly thicker.
Video
Notes
- It is extremely important to allow the ashta to cool down before adding it to the Osmalieh. If you add it warm, the Osmalieh will most definitely lose its crunchy texture.
- When you are distributing the phyllo dough in the baking pan, make sure you cover the pan evenly to achieve an even baking.
- Don’t hesitate to be generous with ashta when filling your Osmalieh. It is called Osmalieh with Ashta for a reason!
- Make sure that you place the Osmalieh in a preheated oven.
- Osmalieh is a very delicate dessert, and the dough can easily be burned, so it is better to keep a close eye on it while baking in the oven.
- It is vital to let the Osmalieh sit for some time on the counter before flipping it onto another round pan.
- Once you place the Osmalieh on your serving plate, drizzle it with simple syrup, and then garnish it with pistachios or even dried rose petals
Love all your recipes! I’ve tried your ashta recipe for my atayef and it was perfect ! Excited to try osmaliyi 😍
Thank you so much for leaving a lovely review! Happy to hear that!
Love this recipe. It’s a great dessert that is so comforting. It’s easy to put together and enjoy with your loved ones.
It sure is! Thank you so much for your lovely review!!
Your recipe is so delicious. The ashta recipe is on point. This is one of my family’s favorites. Thank you for sharing. Love all of your recipes.
I made this osmaleyi a couple of days ago and it really tasted better than the ones i buy. The video was very helpful as well. Thanksss
This osmalieh was sooo delicious. It was also easy to whip up. Will def make it again.
5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This recipe is perfect. Will be on my dessert menu next Ramadan!