Halawet el jibn – sweet cheese rolls with cream

Ingredients

• 250 g mild low-salt mozzarella, grated
• 150 g fine semolina
• 1.5 dl water for dough
• 80 g sugar for dough
• 1 tsp rosewater for dough
• 250 g ashta, or 200 g mascarpone mixed with 50 g whipping cream
• 150 g sugar for syrup
• 1 dl water for syrup
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp rosewater for syrup
• 30 g chopped pistachios

Method

1. 1Boil the syrup sugar, water and lemon juice for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in rosewater and cool.
2. 2Place dough water and sugar in a wide pot. Heat until sugar dissolves, add cheese and stir over low heat until melted.
3. 3Gradually add semolina, stirring vigorously. Stir for 3–5 minutes until smooth and elastic, then add rosewater.
4. 4While warm, roll between two sheets of baking paper brushed with a little syrup into a thin rectangle. Cool until lukewarm and place a line of thick cream along the edge. Roll the dough once or twice around the cream, cut the roll free and repeat with the remainder.
5. 5Chill for 30 minutes, cut into small rolls and top with pistachios and a little syrup. Serve the remaining syrup separately.