Atayef with Ashta (Katayef)

5 from 13 votes

A delicious Middle Eastern pancake dessert stuffed with homemade Ahsta or nuts and then dipped into an aromatic sugar syrup.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Resting time20

Total Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Lebanese

Servings: servings

Prepare the sugar syrup and let it cool. Check out my blog post or my Simple Syrup recipe for details.

In a medium sized pot, combine all the ingredients and mix well.
Bring to boil on medium heat while whisking consistently. You do not want clumpy texture but rather a very smooth creamy texture. Once the cream thickens up very well, lower the heat and continue whisking for a few more mninutes until well thickened.
Remove from heat and transfer the mixture to a Pyrex dish, cover with plastic wrap and let it cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. You can also cool an extra 30 minutes in the fridge. Prepare a day ahead to save time.

To prepare the pancakes, place all ingredients in blender and blend for 2-3 minutes until well combined without any lumps. Allow to rest for 20 minutes.
lightly pray a non-stick heavy skillet and wipe it down. Heat the skillet on medium-high heat, keeping the same heat through out.
Add ¼ cup of the pancake batter and without touching allow the bubble on the top to dry. Store it face down in a kitchen towel and cover it. Continue repeating the same step until you finish the batter.
Once the filling is done cooking, fill each pancake with a regular teaspoon full of ashta cream and seal the sides together to close the pancakes up. Repeat for the rest.
Heat some oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat and fry the Atayef until golden brown, then transfer to dip the pancakes into the sugar syrup briefly. Transfer to a plate or rack. Repeat for the rest.
Garnish with ground pistachios and allow to cool before eating.

Always cook the Ashta cream and prepare any filling before making the pancakes.
Prepare the sugar syrup ahead so that it cools down before serving.
You may add 1 tsp. of corn starch to the batter to make it crunchier.
Cool Atayef in the fridge for 2 hours after cooling at room temperature if you are in a hurry for them to cool up.
Keep the Atayef uncovered in the fridge so they keep their crunch.
Be sure not to skip the Orange Blossom Water. If you can't find both that and the rose water, you can use the Orange Blossom Water only instead.
Do not overfill the pancakes or else they will rip.
If you prefer to bake, brush generously with oil and bake in a preheated 300 F degree oven until golden then dip in the sugar syrup.