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Halawet el Jibn Recipe
Recipe Categories: Dessert
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This is a Middle Eastern dessert that is a combination of sweetened cheese and served with a custard called ashta. It can be made in advance and chilled. It can be served in a roll stuffed with ashta as in the video or it can be served cut up into small squares an a dollup of ashta on top. Ingredients 3 cups sliced fresh mozzarella soaked in water 1/2 cup semolina 1/2 cup farina 1/2 stick of sweet cream butter 2 cups sugar 1 cup water 1 tbs rose water 1 tbs orange blossom water 1 tbs lemon juice 1/4 cup ground pistachios 2 cups ashta pudding (see atayef recipe) 1 cup simple syrup Directions In a large pot, on medium heat, combine water and sugar and stir until dissolved. Add lemon juice, rose water and orange blossom water and let boil until thick like a syrup. In a saucepan melt butter on medium heat and then add farina and semolina and cook for 2 minutes, then add to syrup and pot and let cook for 2 minutes. Next add the mozzarella to the pot and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until cheese is melted and well combined with the farina/syrup mix, about 3-5 minutes. Immediately pour cheese onto a flat surface or baking sheet that is coated with simple syrup, thin the cheese out with a spoon or with a marble rolling pin until it is 1/8 inch thick and then let cool completely. Cut cheese into 3 or 4 inch squares, fill with custard and roll up, place on a plate and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When ready to serve, top with ground pistachio and simple syrup.

Halawet el Jibn Recipe

Total Time:
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Yield: 8
Level: Medium

Ingredients

  • 3 cups sliced fresh mozzarella soaked in water
  • 1/2 cup semolina
  • 1/2 cup farina
  • 1/2 stick of sweet cream butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tbs rose water
  • 1 tbs orange blossom water
  • 1 tbs lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup ground pistachios
  • 2 cups ashta pudding (see atayef recipe)
  • 1 cup simple syrup

Directions

In a large pot, on medium heat, combine water and sugar and stir until dissolved. Add lemon juice, rose water and orange blossom water and let boil until thick like a syrup. In a saucepan melt butter on medium heat and then add farina and semolina and cook for 2 minutes, then add to syrup and pot and let cook for 2 minutes. Next add the mozzarella to the pot and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until cheese is melted and well combined with the farina/syrup mix, about 3-5 minutes. Immediately pour cheese onto a flat surface or baking sheet that is coated with simple syrup, thin the cheese out with a spoon or with a marble rolling pin until it is 1/8 inch thick and then let cool completely. Cut cheese into 3 or 4 inch squares, fill with custard and roll up, place on a plate and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When ready to serve, top with ground pistachio and simple syrup.
Halawet el Jibn Recipe
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Ingredients

  • 3 cups sliced fresh mozzarella soaked in water
  • 1/2 cup semolina
  • 1/2 cup farina
  • 1/2 stick of sweet cream butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tbs rose water
  • 1 tbs orange blossom water
  • 1 tbs lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup ground pistachios
  • 2 cups ashta pudding (see atayef recipe)
  • 1 cup simple syrup

Directions

In a large pot, on medium heat, combine water and sugar and stir until dissolved. Add lemon juice, rose water and orange blossom water and let boil until thick like a syrup. In a saucepan melt butter on medium heat and then add farina and semolina and cook for 2 minutes, then add to syrup and pot and let cook for 2 minutes. Next add the mozzarella to the pot and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until cheese is melted and well combined with the farina/syrup mix, about 3-5 minutes. Immediately pour cheese onto a flat surface or baking sheet that is coated with simple syrup, thin the cheese out with a spoon or with a marble rolling pin until it is 1/8 inch thick and then let cool completely. Cut cheese into 3 or 4 inch squares, fill with custard and roll up, place on a plate and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When ready to serve, top with ground pistachio and simple syrup.


This is a Middle Eastern dessert that is a combination of sweetened cheese and served with a custard called ashta. It can be made in advance and chilled. It can be served in a roll stuffed with ashta as in the video or it can be served cut up into small squares an a dollup of ashta on top.
no unfortunately you cannot. But you can replace it with cream of wheat or semolina
By: dedemed
Looks yummy :)
By: RitaChavdarian1
can i replace farina with all purpose flour??
By: LB1CAN
You can use any type of mozzarella
By: dedemed
yes of course, that is actually the best cheese for this, so if it is available to you then use it
By: dedemed
What kind of mozzarella did you use?
By: zackeria345
Can you use Akouwi cheese for this?
By: zackeria345
the consistency of the semolina is almost like corn flour, it is just a bit more coarse than regular flour.
By: dedemed
you have to go to my site for the written recipe and measurements DedeMed.com
By: dedemed
Hi Dede! I can't wait to try your halawet el jibne recipe this weekend. I purchased all of the ingredients that I will need... however, I was stumped on the semolina. I was in front of a wall of bulk goods and what I found was "semolina flour" and "semolina cuscus"... I was actually expecting the coaseness to be somewhere in between the 2. I purchased both. Are either of these the correct consistency? Please lend me your knowledge. Merci!
By: Vache Mikaelian
you didn't say how much cheese and how much samolina and farina and there should be no butter
By: Hala Assi
Your recipe sounds good as well :)
By: dedemed
Salam alaykom. Very interesting recipe. Especially the sweet butter ingredient. I usually make halawet jebn the Syrian way, since Im from Syria myself. I use use kilo of fresh mozzarela, warm it then add 3/4 cup of semolina, a little bit of syrup thats been prepared beforehand. And Arabic masticca. That gives the flowerish taste. And for the filling I just use Ricotta mixed with a spoon of orange blossom water and 1/2 spoon of rose water. But Im definitely trying your reipe. Looks yummy.
By: snake1mi
yes use same amount.
By: dedemed
hmmm that sounds odd, maybe try flipping it when it is still a little warm. Are you adding enough butter? Butter should keep it from sticking. Maybe try using a different pan.
By: dedemed
Assalamu 3alaikom sister ....Ramadan mubarak....please I would very much like u to give me an idea why anytime I make kunafa b jibne or b ashta my dough sticks to the tray although I follow all instructions correctly!It is the semolina knefe I am having trouble with!Hope u will be of help!thanks...Jazaakillah 5ayran
By: nouhadeter1968
Hi Dede.. I have shredded mozzarella cheese.. How much do I use to make 3 cups of soaked sliced mozzarell? Same amount?
By: maysoona99
thanks :)
By: dedemed
hai friend ... its verry attractive...keep it up....
By: mohammed ali
it is a type of more coarse flour, it is similar to semolina and cream of wheat.
By: dedemed
What is Fareena?
By: Sonia El
how wonderful, I'm glad you and your wife are enjoying the recipes :) thanks for your support!
By: dedemed
hey DeDe just wanted to thank you for this wonderful site, after my wife made me this recipe and a number of other Lebanese recipes i had to ask who the hell is teaching you, so thanks again for showing my Lithuanian wife how to cook our food. Hamze lebo-aus :)
By: sanohziP
lower your heat and maybe cook it a little less, you must stir vigorously
By: dedemed
what am i doing wrong??? my cheese gets all stringy and won't mix with the farina/semolina!! please help i've gone through 4 unsuccessful attempts i can't afford any more cheese!!
By: mapglove
"Dede Med, ...queen of the mashed chickpea
spread called hummus."

Tamara Audi
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

 

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