Halawet el Jibn (Middle Eastern Sweet Cheese Rolls)
If you have a sweet tooth then, you will certainly love Halawet El Jibn dessert, delectable sweet cheesy rolls that melt-in-the-mouth! These Sweet Cheese Rolls are not just a feast for the eyes but are also super easy to eat.
A drizzle of simple syrup flavored with orange blossom water puts the final seal of perfection.
A Heavenly Dessert You Will Love!
What Is Halawet El Jibn?
Halawet El Jibn is a delicate Mediterranean dessert which means “sweetness of cheese” also known as Sweet Cheese Rolls. Itโs one of the most popular Oriental Sweets in Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey.
It’s made of rolls of soft sweet cheese dough, stuffed with Ashta cream, topped with crushed pistachios, and drizzled with a sweet syrup. Some people crown these Sweet Cheese Rolls with rose petal jam, which gives this dessert a royal appearance.
Why You Will Love This Halawet El Jibn Recipe?
This Lebanese Halawet El Jibn is perfect to serve for any occasion, especially during special occasions like Ramadan and Eid El Adha.
Soft and cheesy, this Halawet El Jibn dessert has an aromatic heavenly flavor. When you try it, you will always ask for more!
Sweet Cheese Rolls incorporate the major Mediterranean flavors like Ashta cream, pistachios, orange blossom water, and rose petal jams.
Delectable Sweet Cheese Rolls!
Halawet El Jibn Ingredients
This delectable cheesy dessert is as a seal of perfection for any occasion especially during the month of Ramadan. To make Halawet El Jibn Recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
Semolina: In this recipe, you will need fine semolina to make Halawet El Jibn dough and to make Ashta filling.
Shredded mozzarella cheese: To make Halawet El Jibn dough, you will need shredded mozzarella cheese.
Sugar: In this recipe, you will need granulated sugar to make Halawet El Jibn dough, the simple syrup, and the Ashta mixture.
Butter: To make to Ashta filling, you will need butter. Butter will give ashta a creamy consistency.
Milk: Ashta filling recipe needs milk.
Heavy cream: To make Ashta filling, you will need heavy cream.
All-purpose flour: You will also need some all purpose flour to make the Ashta filling mixture.
Corn starch: Cornstarch is a necessary component of the Ashta filling.
Rose water or orange blossom water: You will add some orange blossom water to the Halawet El Jibn dough, and rose water or orange blossom water to Ashta filling. Adding orange blossom water in simple syrup is optional.
Fresh lemon juice: It’s recommended to add fresh lemon juice when making simple syrup to prevent the formation of small sugar lumps.
Crushed pistachios: Garnish your Sweet Cheese Rolls with chopped or crushed pistachios for a royal presentation.
Look At This Charm Halawet El Jibn!
Tips and Tricks
- Shredded mozzarella cheese melts fast and has a sweet flavor. To get a traditional flavor, use Akkawi โcheese, but make sure to soak it well in water to get rid of the excess salt.
- You can stuff Halawat El Jibn with store-bought Ashta. However, to get the best flavor and version of this dessert, fill it with homemade Ashta. Try my Easy Homemade Ashta Cream recipe!
Frequently Asked Questions
Cover the Halawet El Jibn leftovers with a tight lid and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Sweet Cheese Rolls last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
Yes, for sure! However, make sure that the cheese you use has sweet flavor, or soak it well in water to get rid of the excess salt if itโs a salty cheese. ย
Yes, I recommend making it a couple of hours or a day in advance. You can store Ashta in the refrigerator covered with a piece of plastic wrap.
Let’s Try An Utterly Delicious Dessert!
Ingredients
Halawet El Jibn Dough
- water
- granulated sugar
- fine semolina
- shredded mozzarella cheese
- orange blossom water
Simple Syrup
- water
- granulated sugar
- fresh lemon juice
Ashta Cream
- milk
- heavy cream
- semolina
- all-purpose flour
- corn starch
- sugar
- butter
- rose water or orange blossom water
For Garnish
- crushed pistachios
Try this Exquisite Recipe & Share it with Your Friends!
Instructions
First, heat water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, occasionally stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Once it comes to a boil, add fine semolina and keep stirring until thickened, this process should take less than one minute.
Then, add the cheese and orange blossom water and stir until all the cheese has melted. Let it cool down for 1-2 minutes. The dough should still be warm when you work on it. Don’t let it cool down completely.
Now, place a piece of plastic wrap on a clean surface and brush the surface with simple syrup. Next, place the dough on the plastic wrap. Place another sheet of plastic wrap on top of the dough and roll it out.
After that, remove the plastic wrap from the top and cut the edges with a pizza cutter or a knife until you have smooth edges.
Next, pipe out the Ashta Cream on the edges of the dough, leaving about 1/2 inch of space behind the edge.
Later on, roll out the dough until you form a log.
This way, cut the log and roll it in a plastic wrap.
Now, repeat the same process for the rest of the dough.
As well, place the covered logs in the freezer for 30 minutes. You can also place them in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
Once you are ready, cut them into two-inch pieces, and sprinkle with crushed pistachios and Simple Syrup.
Enjoy This Masterpiece!
Other Amazing Mediterranean Desserts You Will Enjoy!
- Easy Homemade Ashta Cream (ูุดุทุฉ ููุญูููุงุช)
- How to Make Attar | Middle Eastern Simple Syrup | ุงููุทุฑ
- Warbat Bil Ashta (Shaabiyat Dessert)
- Zlabia (Easy Jalebi Recipe)
- Basbousa with Cream (Hareesa Recipe)
- Yummy Crunchy Kunafa Rolls
- Homemade Luqaimat (Awamat / Lokma)
- Mahalabia Recipe (MUHALLEBI) Middle Eastern Milk Pudding
- Klecha Recipe | Date cookies (ูููุฌุฉ)
- Rolled Baklava – Walnut Baklava Rolls
If youโve tried this recipe or any other recipe on Sourandsweets, donโt forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience with my recipes. Please share it with me on Instagram.
Halawet El Jibn
Ingredients
Halawet El Jibn Dough
- 1 ยฝ cups water
- ยฝ cup granulated sugar
- ยพ cup fine semolina
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
Simple Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Ashta Cream
- 2 ยฝ cup milk
- ยฝ cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons semolina
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- ยฝ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon rose water or orange blossom water
For Garnish
- ยผ cup crushed pistachios
Instructions
- Heat water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, occasionally stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Once it comes to a boil, add fine semolina and keep stirring until thickened, this process should take less than one minute.
- Add the cheese and orange blossom water and stir until all the cheese has melted. Let it cool down for 1-2 minutes. The dough should still be warm when you work on it. Don't let it cool down completely.
- Place a piece of plastic wrap on a clean surface and brush the surface with simple syrup. Next, place the dough on the plastic wrap. Place another sheet of plastic wrap on top of the dough and roll it out.
- Remove the plastic wrap from the top and cut the edges with a pizza cutter or a knife until you have smooth edges.
- Pipe out the Ashta on the edges of the dough, leaving about ยฝ inch of space behind the edge.
- Roll out the dough until you form a log.
- Cut the log and roll it in a plastic wrap.
- Repeat the same process for the rest of the dough.
- Place the covered logs in the freezer for 30 minutes. You can also place them in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
- Once you are ready, cut them into two-inch pieces, and sprinkle with crushed pistachios and simple syrup.
I always thought this is very hard to do! You make it sound pretty simple! Will definitely give it a try today! Thank you โค๏ธ