7 Middle-Eastern Desserts You Can Make At Home

By Ujjainee Roy

February 1, 2024

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From baklava to basbousa, Middle-Eastern cuisine is full of delectable desserts that are full of flavour and include some hearty ingredients. Interestingly, not every dessert in this category demands skill or too many specific techniques. Here are some Middle-Eastern desserts which can be made at home. 

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Baklava

Baklava is a classic Middle Eastern dessert that's simple to make at home. Follow a traditional recipe, layering the phyllo sheets with a mixture of finely chopped pistachios, walnuts, or almonds, and brush each layer with melted butter before baking until golden brown. 

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Basbousa

Basbousa is a moist and dense semolina cake soaked in a sweet syrup flavoured with rose water or orange blossom water. To make basbousa at home you need semolina flour, sugar, yoghurt, melted butter, and baking powder.

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Knafeh

Knafeh is a decadent dessert made with shredded phyllo dough, sweetened cheese, and a fragrant syrup, which is Pour warm syrup over the hot knafeh and allow it to soak in before cutting into squares and serving. 

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Mahalabia

Mahalabia, also known as muhallabia or milk pudding. It is a creamy and fragrant dessert flavoured with rose water or orange blossom water. To make mahalabia at home, simmer milk with sugar and cornstarch until thickened, then stir in rose water or orange blossom.

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Balah el Sham

Balah el Sham, or Syrian date cookies, are delicious treats made with a sweet date filling encased in a buttery pastry crust. Fold the dough over the filling to form a half-moon shape, crimp the edges with a fork, and bake until golden brown.

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Maamoul

Maamoul are delicate Middle Eastern cookies filled with dates, nuts, or sweetened semolina. To make maamoul at home, you need flour, semolina, butter, sugar, and a hint of orange blossom water or rose water. 

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Halawet El Jibn

Halawet el jibn are delicate cheese rolls filled with sweetened cheese and drizzled with syrup. To make these rolls at home, roll out the dough into thin sheets, spread a layer of sweetened cheese mixture, and roll them into cigar shapes and then bake them until golden.

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