Ramadan just isn’t Ramadan without the sweets. This is probably why the average Muslim actually gains weight after a month of fasting. Hey, I’m not judging. You don’t even want to know how much sugar I go through between the months of October and December. You Americans know what I’m talking about.
So, stock up on toothpaste and get your Ramadan sweet tooth on. The following are some popular treats you must try at some point during this month.
(Kunafa, the Middle Eastern version of cheesecake)
Kunafa: My husband calls kunafa “birds’ nests.” It isn’t hard to see why. These little nests of pastry are traditionally filled with sweet cheese. Nutella, however, is my personal favorite filling. My kids? They would sell their souls for Lotus cookie butter.
(Bags of kunafa dough for diligent DIYers)
Want to impress your friends? Make your own kunafa! The following picture is proof that it can be done.
(I wasn’t joking when I said I love nutella)
Impressed? You can do it too. Here’s how: First, buy a bag of plain kunafa at the souq. Press the pastry strands down firmly into the bottom and sides of muffin cups. Drizzle the little nests with melted butter and bake them in your oven at a medium temperature for about 15 minutes. Let them cool and then fill them to your heart’s content. Here’s one recipe to get you going.
(Atayef – stuffed and fried pancakes)
Atayef: Imagine a pancake, folded in half, stuffed with nuts and raisins, fried in samna, and drizzled with syrup. Got it? That’s atayef. While you can buy pre-stuffed atayef, most people purchase the pancakes from a local bakery and stuff them at home.
(Atayef pancakes, ready to be stuffed)
Watching the pancake making process is a treat in itself. Each year during Ramadan, we go down to our local bakery and watch, trancelike, as the bakers make pancake after pancake on a gigantic griddle. Called a hagar atayef, this griddle is set up and operated specifically during the month of Ramadan.
(Atayef – fun to eat and watch)
Atayef is easy to make. Go ahead and try it! It may become your new favorite dessert. Try this recipe.
(Zalabia – fried donut holes, Egyptian style)
Zalabia: These fried balls of dough are available year round, but zalabia vendors suddenly appear on nearly every street corner during Ramadan. Our family has a bit of a history with the zalabia restaurant near our home. Some years ago, while indulging in these Egyptian-style fried donut holes, my kids were “discovered” by the restaurant’s advertising team. My kids have been invited back numerous times for photoshoots and free food. Well, what can you do? We never say no to free food.
(Will work for zalabia)
Syrian sweets: As the name suggests, these sweets are a staple of Syrian food culture. Of all the sweets mentioned above, this is the kind you should bring with you when invited to an iftar. You can buy a gorgeous box of Syrian sweets from a grocery store, or a less fancy – but equally as tasty – version from a street vender at a major intersection near you. Either way, you get little pieces of art that go into your mouth.
(Can’t choose? Get a sampler of Syrian sweets!)
Starting to feel a toothache coming on? Then don’t go bananas on the sweets this Ramadan. But do indulge a little in something you’ve never tried before. And if there’s Nutella in it, call me. I’ll join you!
