Halawet el-jeben

01 / ABOUT THE DISH

About the dish

These sweet cheese rolls are a typical dessert commonly associated with Levantine and Arab countries, though it is believed they originated in the city of Hama in Syria. The dessert is made with a combination of semolina, water, rose water, sugar, and cheese - traditionally Akkawi or Majdoola cheese, though modern variations often replace it with the widely available mozzarella. All ingredients are combined and heated until they form a soft, pliable dough which is then rolled into thin sheets. The filling is made with ashta —thick clotted cream—which is piped before the sheets are rolled into thin logs. The rolls are then sliced into small bite-size pieces and are typically served drizzled with syrup and garnished with rose petal jam and ground pistachios.