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Learn how to make ashta, a delicious Middle Eastern cream perfect for stuffing into pastries, layering on desserts, or serving as a standalone delight. This homemade Ashta cream elevates any dessert with its signature taste and creamy consistency.
If you’re a fan of Middle Eastern desserts, you’ll need to learn how to make ashta. This rich, creamy filling is the heart of many beloved treats, from kunafah to qatayef. With its smooth texture and delicate floral flavor from ingredients like orange blossom water, Ashta brings a tasty Middle Eastern touch to any dish.
Whether you’re making these classic desserts or experimenting with your own creations, ashta is a key element that ties everything together. It’s easy to make, and once you’ve mastered it, you’ll be able to elevate your dessert game with just a few simple ingredients. Try using it in baklava or maamoul for a delicious and authentic Mediterranean treat!
Recipe Highlights
Cultural Influence: Middle Eastern
Dominant Flavor Profile: Creamy, slightly sweet, and delicately floral with hints of orange blossom
Skill Level: Beginner-friendly
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: It’s versatile, rich, and aromatic—perfect for filling pastries, pairing with fruit, or enjoying on its own.
Introduction to Ashta and Its Origins
Ashta is a lush, creamy filling and topping that brings Middle Eastern desserts to life with its silky texture and delicate hint of floral flavor. Known for its adaptability, Ashta finds its place in iconic desserts like Atayef, the stuffed pancakes often served during Ramadan, or Knafeh, a sweet, cheesy pastry draped in syrup. Whether layered over fruit, tucked inside pastries, or enjoyed on its own with a drizzle of honey, Ashta has become a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine, celebrated for its unique flavor and smooth consistency.
The origins of Ashta trace back to the Levantine region, where it was traditionally prepared by skimming the cream that formed on boiled milk. This naturally thickened, clotted cream was cherished for its pure, rich taste. As it spread across Lebanon, Syria, and other parts of the Middle East, cooks refined the process to yield a thicker, more versatile cream using flour and cornstarch. Adding orange blossom or rosewater elevates its flavor, imparting a subtle floral aroma that pairs beautifully with nuts, honey, and dried fruits.
Ingredients
Whole Milk: Whole milk provides richness and creaminess, forming the bulk of the Ashta. Using whole milk is key for the best texture, though it can be substituted with 2% milk for a slightly lighter version.
Heavy Whipping Cream: This ingredient enhances the Ashta’s thick, velvety texture and adds richness. If unavailable, you can use half-and-half, but it will yield a less creamy result.
Cornstarch: A crucial thickening agent in this recipe, cornstarch helps give Ashta its signature thickness without making it overly heavy.
Flour: Added alongside cornstarch, flour gives structure and an extra layer of thickness, ensuring a custard-like consistency.
Rosewater or Orange Blossom Water (a few drops): These flavorings add a subtle but delightful aroma. These provide a traditional, floral fragrance common in Middle Eastern desserts. Alternatively you can use vanilla extract.
How to Make Ashta
Step 1: Combine Ingredients
In a medium-sized saucepan, add the whole milk, heavy cream, cornstarch, and flour. Whisk until smooth and no lumps remain. This helps avoid any graininess in the final cream.
Step 2: Cook the Mixture
Place the saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir continuously to prevent the cream from sticking to the pan and forming lumps. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, and continue cooking for 1 minute after it begins to thicken. You should notice a pudding-like texture forming as it heats.
Step 3: Add Flavoring
Once it’s thickened, remove the saucepan from heat, pour it into a heat proof bowl and add either vanilla extract or a few drops of rosewater or orange blossom water for a more traditional flavor. Stir until fully incorporated.
Step 4: Cool and Refrigerate
Cool and Refrigerate: Transfer the Ashta to a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the cream to prevent skin from forming. Allow it to cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.
Tips for Making Ashta
Avoid Overcooking: Heating the mixture too long after it thickens can cause it to become too firm. Keep a close eye on the texture and remove it from heat promptly once thickened.
Use Fresh Ingredients: For the richest flavor, use high-quality, full-fat milk and cream.
Prevent Lumps: Whisk well before placing the saucepan over heat, and stir continuously. If lumps form, you can pass the cream through a fine mesh sieve for a smoother consistency.
Consistency Control: If the ashta is too thick after cooling, gently whisk in a small amount of milk to reach the desired creaminess. This helps in achieving a perfect spreadable texture.
Serving Suggestions
Ashta cream is wonderfully versatile and pairs well with numerous desserts. Here are a few ideas:
Stuffed Pastries: Use Ashta as a filling for traditional pastries like Znoud el-Sit, Atayef, and Warbat.
With Fresh Fruit: Spoon over a fruit bowl with strawberries, bananas, or mango for a refreshing dessert.
Add to desserts : Use Ashta to make Middle Eastern desserts like Layali Lubnan (Lebanese semolina pudding) or Knafeh.
With Honey and Nuts: Serve as a standalone dessert topped with a drizzle of honey, pistachios, and almonds.
Garnishing Suggestions
Chopped Pistachios or Almonds: Add a colorful, nutty crunch that contrasts with the creaminess of the Ashta.
Honey or Date Syrup Drizzle: A drizzle of honey or date syrup on top adds sweetness and enhances the Middle Eastern flavor profile. The golden hue also gives a beautiful finishing touch.
Fresh or Dried Rose Petals: These add a delicate floral note and elevate the presentation with a splash of pink, capturing the traditional flavors of Ashta.
Fresh Berries or Pomegranate Seeds: Bright berries or pomegranate seeds give a tart pop of color and flavor, balancing the cream’s richness.
How to Store and Use Ashta
Refrigeration: Store Ashta in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For the best freshness, consume within 5 days. To keep the cream smooth and prevent skin from forming, press plastic wrap directly on its surface.
Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing ashta, as the texture changes and may become watery upon thawing. If you’re making it ahead, plan to keep it in the fridge and consume it fresh.
Reusing Ashta: If you are left with some extra Ashta, consider using it as a spread for morning toast with some honey, a filling for crepes, or a dip with fresh fruit.
Frequently Asked Questions
While ashta and clotted cream are both thick, creamy dairy products, they differ in preparation and flavor. Clotted cream is typically made by slowly heating high-fat dairy to form a thick layer of cream, while ashta uses cornstarch and flour to achieve its texture and often includes aromatic flavors like orange blossom or rose water.
Yes, you can use plant-based milk like almond, coconut, or oat milk to make a vegan version of Ashta. However, the texture and flavor may vary slightly, as plant-based milk generally has a lower fat content than dairy milk. Adding a bit more cornstarch or flour may help achieve the right consistency.
Yes, you can make Ashta without cornstarch, but you may need to use more flour or another thickening agent like arrowroot powder. Note that the texture may vary slightly, as cornstarch gives a smooth, silky finish.
Lumps can form if the mixture isn’t stirred continuously or if the heat is too high. To avoid lumps, use a whisk to keep the ingredients smooth as they cook, and consider straining the Ashta through a fine sieve if needed.
Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the ashta while it cools to prevent skin from forming on the surface. This will keep the cream smooth and prevent any hardened layer from developing.
More basic tutorials
How to Make Ashta
Ingredients
- 2½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup heavy whippig cream
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ cup flour
- orange blossom water, or vanillia
Instructions
- In a medium-sized saucepan, add the whole milk, heavy cream, cornstarch, and flour. Whisk until smooth and no lumps remain.
- Place the saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir continuously to prevent the cream from sticking to the pan and forming lumps. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, and continue cooking for 1 minute after it begins to thicken. You should notice a pudding-like texture forming as it heats.
- Once it’s thickened, remove the saucepan from heat and add either vanilla extract or a few drops of orange blossom water for a more traditional flavor. Stir until fully incorporated.
- Transfer the Ashta to a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the cream to prevent a skin from forming. Allow it to cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using. Keep ashta in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
- Use ashta in different Middle Eastern recipes. You can use it as a filling for desserts such as qatayef and knafa.
- You can also use it as a topping with fruit such as strawberries, bananas and mangos or serve it on its own with honey and nuts.
- I don’t recommend freezing ashta as the texture will become grainy.
- If ashta is too thick, stir in a bit of milk.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
