Crispy phyllo rolls filled with sweet ashta cream, deep-fried until golden, and soaked in fragrant orange blossom syrup. These indulgent Iraqi pastries are impossibly crunchy and creamy at once.
Nutrition & Info
Allergen Warnings
Equipment Needed
Instructions
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1
Make ashta cream: mix cornstarch with cold milk, heat while stirring until thickened. Add sugar, orange blossom and rose water. Cool completely.
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2
Make syrup: boil sugar, water, and lemon juice for 8 minutes. Add orange blossom water. Cool.
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3
Cut phyllo sheets in half. Place 2 tablespoons of cooled ashta cream along one short edge of each piece.
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4
Roll up tightly, tucking in the sides like a spring roll. Seal the edge with a dab of water.
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5
Deep fry the rolls at 175C for 3-4 minutes, turning once, until evenly golden and crispy.
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6
Immediately dip hot rolls in cold syrup for 10 seconds. Garnish with crushed pistachios and serve.
Did You Know?
The playful name "lady's upper arms" refers to the plump, rounded shape of the pastry rolls, a testament to Iraqi humor in the kitchen.
Chef's Notes
Equipment Tips
- deep fryer or heavy pot
- baking tray
- saucepan
- pastry brush
The Story Behind Znoud el Sit
Znoud el sit is one of the jewels of Iraqi pastry-making, a sweet that showcases the Ottoman-influenced tradition of syrup-soaked desserts that spread across the former empire. Iraqi pastry chefs elevated the basic concept by filling the rolls with ashta, a fragrant clotted cream scented with orange blossom and rose water. During Ramadan, znoud el sit appears in every sweet shop and home kitchen, and no Iraqi celebration is complete without a tray of these crispy, cream-filled indulgences.
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