How to Make the Healthiest Mafroukeh Dessert Recipe

A dessert with just 5 mg cholesterol and 3 gr fat?  Sure do! Get ready to rock your palate without feeling guilty!

The term Mafroukeh derives from the Arab verb faraka, which means “to rub” or “to knead”.

It translates into “has been rubbed” or “kneaded”, which is how the semolina dough of this pastry is made; rubbed continuously with butter until it gains texture and consistence.

The dough turns creamy yet softly granulated. A thick layer of Ashta Cream is spread all over it. Almonds and Pistachios are not meant just for garnishing. They are part of the delicious taste of this pastry, and the palate’s pleasure of creamy texture and crunchiness. Their layer comes rich and generous.

40 min
Serves 15
Medium

Ingredients

2 cups Shredded Thin Filo Pastry
1 cup water
1 cup Sugar-Syrup
1 tbsp Rose Water
1 tbsp Orange-Blossom Water
2 cups Ashta Cream

FOR 1 CUP SYRUP
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tsps Lemon Juice
2 tbsps Orange-Blossom Water

FOR TOPPING
1/2 cup Almond
1/4 cup Pistachio Nuts
Flower Jam

Steps

1 PREPARING THE ASHTA CREAM

Follow the instructions of my Ashta Cream recipe at: How to Make Ashta Cream for Lebanese Desserts:. Remember to refrigerate it.

2 PREPARING THE SYRUP

1- Mix sugar and water, and bring to a boil.
2- Add lemon juice.
3- Remove from heat, and stir in the orange blossom water.
4- Set aside.

3  PREPARING THE MAFROUKEH MIXTURE

1- Blend well the Shredded Filo Dough until you get a dough of very tiny grains.
2- Stir the dough in a non-stick casserole, over medium heat, until yellowing, then Increase the heat, stirring continuously.
3- When the dough starts darkening, add the liquid ingredients (water, orange blossom and rosewater), and 1/2 the cup of sugar syrup.
4- Keep stirring for the dough to absorb all the liquid, and homogenize.
5- When the mixture turns into a dark golden brown color, remove from heat.

4 LAYERING THE MAFROUKEH

1- Pour the mixture into the glass serving pan, and spread it well, dabbing it with the dampened palm of your hand. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
2- Pour the Ashta cream all over the Mafroukeh mixture.
3- With a spoon, spread it well all over, then press gently for an equal level. Wet the spoon with fresh cold water and smooth a little the surface.

5 GARNISH AND COOL IT

Sprinkle the pistachio nuts all over the Ashta layer then follow it with a rich layer of almonds.
Place the serving plate in the fridge to cool.

6 SERVING: OPTION 1 : FOR LESS INTAKE OF SUGAR

1- Pour the remaining 1/2 cup of syrup in a serving bowl.
2- Cut the Mafroukeh into 15 equal pieces.
If you have opted for the flower jam, use a tsp to place a small dose on each piece.

This recipe is intended to be healthier, hence the extra syrup is to be used at the convenience of the guests should they wish a sweeter Mafroukeh.

7 SERVING OPTION 2

Mafroukeh could be served on a round serving plate by laying the mixture first then the ashta (without pressing) and followed by the pistachios and almonds, and the optional garnish of flower jam.

8 SERVING OPTION 3: FOR A FANCIER PRESENTATION: MAFROUKEH CROWNS

1- With a film of plastic wrap, cover the inside of small cake molds, extending it out over the borders.
2- Divide the Mafroukeh dough Into the cake molds and press firmly.
3- Divide the Ashta cream into the Mafroukeh molds, press firmly, and refrigerate for about 20 minutes. This will allow the content to adhere well together.
4- One by one, turn the molds upside-down on a serving plate, and remove gently the mold and the plastic wrap.
5- Sprinkle on the Pistachio nuts and top them with the almonds.
6- Gently top it with 2 or 3 pieces of flower jam

You now have a gorgeous presentation of Mafroukeh crowns, suitable for a reception!

How to make Ashta Cream for Lebanese desserts

Ashta is the Lebanese pronunciation of the Arabic written term “Kashta”;  a clotted Fresh Cream used in many of our ethnic desserts.

From the Layeli Loubnan to the Kanafeh bil Ashta, passing by the Mafroukeh, Aysh El-Saraya and more, you will need this Ashta recipe to complete them.

20 minutes | Serves 2 | Easy
From Easy Lebanese Recipes

Ingredients

6 pieces American Bread
1 cup Powder Milk
2 tbsps Corn Flour
1 tbsp Orange-Blossom Water
1 tbsp Rose Water
2 tbsps Sugar
2 cups water

Steps

1 With a knife, remove the sides of the toast bread and cut the remaining (the softer part) in small cubes.

2 In a non-stick casserole, blend the powder milk with the 2 cups of cold water, the corn flour and the sugar.
Mix in the breads and leave it to rest in the fridge for about 1 hour.

3 Place the casserole on medium heat, stir continuously until the mixture thickens.
Turn off the heat, mix in the rosewater and blossom water.
Leave it to cool at room temperature, then place it in the fridge until the cream thickens well.

4 NOTE/TIP
In case your cream is not thickening enough during the cooking process, you may go ahead and add 1 tbsp of diluted cornstarch.
Use just enough cold water or milk to liquidize it.

Achtalye (Milk Pudding) Recipe

There is an amazing wide variety of Middle Eastern desserts. Some of these desserts are very complicated and require a lot of ingredients and preparation, like baklava, knefe and others. On the other had, some of them are simple, easy and quick to made, like the Achtalye I prepare today. This dessert can be found in Lebanon and in Palestine, and is similar to a dessert to Mhalabiyye, a kind of pudding made out of milk and cornflour. It is very high in calcium so its good for growing children and babies.

Ingredients:

1 cup powder milk
3 cups water
1/2 cup cornflour + 1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon mastic, grounded
1 tablespoon orange blossom water
1/2 cup pistachios for decoration
sugar syrup

Preparation:

1. Mix the cornflour with a half cup of water until it all dissolves
2. In a casserole place the powder milk, water and the cornflour and mix well
3. Place the casserole on a fire and let it boil, stirring constantly until it thickens
4. Add the mastic, remove from off the fire and pour the orange blossom water
5. Put this pudding into small individual bowls, allow to cool then refrigerate
6. To serve, decorate with pistachios and pour sugar syrup over

Namoura (Egg free Lebanese Cake) ٌRecipe

This is an egg free, butter free Lebanese cake, that can be made on any occasion and can last for quite a while time without any alteration to the taste.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cup semolina
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
a pinch of salt
2 cups yogurt
1/2 cup orange blossom water
2 tablespoons tahini
1 cup of almonds for decoration

Sugar syrup:
3 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup orange blossom water
teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter

Preparation:

1. Mix the semolina with bicarbonate of soda, sugar and salt
2. Gradually add the orange blossom water while stirring with a spoon
3. Add the yogurt and stir until all the ingredients are well mixed
4. Cover the mixture with a clean towel and leave it to rest for half an hour
5. Preheat the oven to 180 C
6. Grease a 40 cm diameter tray with tahini, pour the mixture in the tray, decorate with the almonds and bake it for about 35 minutes, until the cake becomes golden
7. In the meantime prepare the sugar syrup, boil the sugar with water until it thickens, then add the lemon juice, the orange blossom water and the butter
8. When the Namoura is baked remove from the oven and put over it the hot sugar syrup, and put it in the oven  again for 5 minutes
9. Remove the tray from the oven and let it cool, then cut into squares or diamond shape and serve

Kaak el Eid / Party Cookies Recipe

Makes about 50

Ka'k el-eid are delicious ring-shaped cookies with a rather exotic taste imparted by the mastic and spices. They are particularly associated with Easter, but are also made for other feasts-"eid" means feast in Arabic.

Ingredients

250 g fine semolina
¼ tsp finely ground Adonis mastic
1/8 tsp Adonis Nutmeg Ground
Scant ¼ tsp Adonis Mahlab Ground
1/8 tsp fast action or easy bake yeast
100g unsalted butter, softened
75 g golden caster sugar
100 ml whole milk

Cooking instructions

Mix the semolina, Adonis mastic, Adonis nutmeg, Adonis mahlab and yeast into a mixing bowl. Add the softened butter and, with the tips of your fingers, rub together until the fat is fully incorporated.

Mix the sugar and milk in a small jug until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Add the sweetened milk to the semolina mixture and knead until you have a smooth and malleable pastry. Cover with a wet, although not dripping, kitchen towel and let it rest for 1 ½ hours.

Preheat the oven to 120 C°.

Pinch off a small piece of semolina pastry and shape into a ball the size of a small walnut. Roll it into a thin sausage about 1.5 cm thick and 11 cm long. Bring both ends together and slightly press one on top of the other to make a ring, about 5 cm in diameter. Lift delicately onto a non-stick baking tray or line on a silicone pastry mat or parchment paper. Continue making the cookies until you have finished the pastry. You should end up with about 50.

Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden and crisp. Leave to cool before serving or packing in an airtight container, where they will keep for about two weeks stored in a cool place.