Lebanese Shaabiyat Dessert

Lebanese Shaabiyat is a super easy Middle Eastern dessert that will wow your guests. Delicate, flaky, creamy, and sweet that can never go wrong. It is a pastry made with layers and layers of phyllo dough, then filled with a traditional homemade Lebanese Ashta cream filling. The dessert is then drizzled with rose-water syrup for an incredible Middle-Eastern dessert known as Shaabiyat.

Shaabiyat vs Baklava

Shaabiyat and baklava are both Middle Eastern pastries that are made with phyllo dough and sweet syrup. Shaabiyat has a sweet cheese filling while baklava does not have any filling. Shaabiyat is commonly enjoyed during Ramadan and is topped with sweet syrup straight out of the oven just like baklava.

Ingredients

1 package of phyllo dough
1/2 cup of butter
1/2 cup of shortening
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of cornstarch
4 cups of milk
1 tsp of rose water
1 tsp of orange blossom water
Crushed pistachios for garnish

Instructions

First, prepare the Ashta cream filling by heating up milk, cream, sugar, and cornstarch in a pot and slowly cook on medium heat while stirring constantly until it begins to thicken a little. Add rose & orange blossom water and continue to cook until custard is very thick.
Once the Ashta has cooled down, you can then prepare the phyllo dough. Place the butter and shortening in a small glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and melt in the microwave for 1 minute. Do not overheat.
To prepare the phyllo dough, place a flat sheet on a board or clean the kitchen counter. Brush with melted butter mixture and place another sheet on top. Repeat this process until you have used up all the sheets.
Cut the dough into squares and fill each square with ashta cream filling. Fold diagonally to form a triangle shape.
Brush the top of the shaabiyat with the remaining butter (I had about 1 tb. left). Bake for 25 minutes at 375°F until golden brown on top.
Remove from the oven and drizzle 1/3-1/2 cup of prepared attar over the shaabiyat. Decorate them with crushed pistachios and they are ready to serve.

Tips & Tricks

Make sure to brush each layer of phyllo dough with melted butter mixture before adding another layer.
Do not overheat the butter mixture when melting it in the microwave.
Make sure to let Ashta cream filling cool down before using it to fill phyllo dough squares.

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions or if there’s anything else I can help you with.

Conclusion

Lebanese Shaabiyat Dessert is a delicious Middle Eastern pastry that is easy to make and will impress your guests. The delicate layers of phyllo dough are stuffed with a sweet homemade Ashta cream filling and drizzled with rose-water syrup for an incredible flavor. With these simple tips and tricks, you can make this dessert at home and enjoy it with your family and friends. Bon appétit!