Mafrouka
A semolina-and-pistachio Jordanian sweet: a buttery semolina pudding baked into a slab, topped with sweetened ashta cream (clotted cream perfumed with rose water) and a snowdrift of crushed pistachios. Eaten at Ramadan iftar, Eid, weddings. Soft, fragrant, rich.
Overview
Fine semolina is toasted in butter; sugar syrup is poured in to hydrate; the mixture is cooked to a thick pudding; rose water and orange blossom water perfume. Spread into a tray, cooled to firm up. Ashta (Levantine clotted cream, or substitute clotted cream + mascarpone) is spread on top. Crushed pistachios are scattered heavy across the surface. Cut into squares.
Ingredients
Semolina base
- 300 g fine semolina
- 150 g unsalted butter
- 200 g caster sugar
- 400 ml water
- 1 tablespoon rose water
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
- 1 large pinch saffron threads (bloomed in 1 tbsp hot water, optional)
Ashta topping
- 250 g clotted cream (or 150 g clotted cream + 100 g mascarpone cheese)
- 2 tablespoons icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon rose water
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
Garnish
- 100 g pistachios (unsalted, lightly toasted, finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoons rose petals (dried, optional)
Method
Stage 1 - Sugar syrup
- In a small pan, combine 200 ml of the water with the sugar.
- Bring to a boil; simmer 3 minutes until syrupy.
- Off heat. Set aside.
Stage 2 - Semolina
- Melt butter in a wide heavy pan over medium heat.
- Add semolina; toast 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly, until pale gold and fragrant.
Stage 3 - Hydrate
- Add the remaining 200 ml water, then the warm sugar syrup, stirring constantly.
- Add the saffron-water (if using).
- Cook 4-5 minutes more, stirring, until the mixture thickens to a soft paste that pulls from the pan sides.
- Stir in rose water and orange blossom water.
Stage 4 - Set
- Tip into an oiled 22 x 22 cm tray; press flat with a wet spatula.
- Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate 30 minutes to firm.
Stage 5 - Ashta
- In a bowl, fold together clotted cream (and mascarpone if using), icing sugar, rose water, orange blossom water.
Stage 6 - Plate
- Spread the ashta evenly over the chilled semolina layer.
- Scatter chopped pistachios densely over the top - should look snow-covered.
- Scatter rose petals if using.
Stage 7 - Serve
- Cut into squares or diamonds.
- Eat cool. Pair with Arabic coffee or strong black tea.
Notes
- Fine semolina: Coarse semolina gives gritty mafrouka. Look for fine or extra-fine.
- Ashta: Lebanese / Syrian clotted cream made by simmering milk and bread or cornflour into a thick cream. Clotted cream + mascarpone is the easy home substitute.
- Toast semolina properly: Pale gold gives a nuttier mafrouka. Skipping the toast gives raw-tasting semolina.
Storage
- Refrigerate 3 days.
- The ashta and pistachios are best added on serving day for clean visual contrast.
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