Asmanliya

Ingredients

• 200 grams ghee
• kunafa pastry
• to taste sugar syrup, honey, or molasses
• 1½ liters milk
• 3 tablespoons fine semolina (farakha flour)
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• 200 ml cooking cream or ashta
• 1 tbsp sugar
• orange blossom water
• for garnish pistachios
• for garnish cherries

Instructions

1. In a frying pan, melt 200 grams of ghee.
2. In the frying pan, stir the kunafa pastry with the ghee until toasted and evenly browned.
3. Place the toasted kunafa pastry in a dish or tray and set aside until cool.
4. In a mixing bowl, add 1½ liters of milk with 3 tablespoons of fine semolina, 6 tablespoons of cornstarch, 200 ml of cooking cream or ashta if using, and 1 tablespoon of sugar.
5. In the mixing bowl, mix the ingredients while cold until the cornstarch is fully dissolved.
6. In a pot, cook the ashta mixture over high heat, stirring continuously, until thickened and it reaches a suitable consistency.
7. In the pot, add the orange blossom water once the mixture is cooked.
8. In a tray, spread half of the toasted kunafa pastry as the first layer.
9. In the tray, pour the ashta over the kunafa layer.
10. In the tray, place the remaining half of the kunafa pastry over the ashta.
11. In the tray, leave the Asmanliya to cool completely in the refrigerator or freezer.
12. In the tray, garnish the top with pistachios and cherries as desired.
13. To serve, serve the Asmanliya cold.