Halawet el Jibn (حلاوة الجبن)

Learn how to make Halawet el Jibn, the famous Levantine dessert made with semolina and cheese dough, filled with creamy ricotta and topped with pistachios and rose syrup. This authentic Lebanese family recipe is soft, stretchy, and surprisingly easy to make at home.

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Syrian

Keyword: Halawet el Jibn, Lebanese Halawet el Jibn, semolina cheese dessert, Syrian cheese dessert

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 18

Servings:

Calories: 339kcal

Author: Iman

Ingredients

Instructions

Shred the mozzarella curds by hand directly into a large skillet.
Place the skillet over medium-low heat and allow the cheese to melt slowly. As it melts, it will release a lot of liquid, which is exactly what we want for this recipe. Mix the cheese every now and then so it melts evenly and does not stick.
Once the cheese is about 90% melted, begin sprinkling in the semolina little by little while mixing very well so it doesn’t become clumpy.
After adding about half of the semolina, pour in the attar syrup and continue mixing.
Continue sprinkling in the remaining semolina gradually while mixing well after each addition. As it cooks, the mixture will begin to thicken. Add 1 tb of Orange Blossom water.
Keep mixing until the mixture comes together into a smooth dough that pulls away from the sides of the pan and no longer sticks. At that point, no more semolina is needed.
Prepare your work surface. Line your counter with parchment paper and pour a small amount of attar syrup onto the parchment.
Immediately place the hot cheese dough onto the parchment paper and cover it with another sheet of parchment paper on top.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a thin rectangle about ½ cm thick.
Use a pizza cutter to trim the sides so the dough forms a clean rectangle.
Spread or pipe a thin line of full-fat ricotta cheese across the dough.
Roll the dough over the ricotta filling like a cinnamon roll.
Using a serrated knife, cut the roll into small pieces.
Alternatively, you can cut the dough into about 4×4 inch squares, add the ricotta filling, and fold them over for larger pieces.
Arrange the Halawet el Jibn on a serving plate, top with crushed pistachios, and drizzle with additional attar syrup before serving.

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