Ramadan recipes 2027/1448: harira, chebakia, sellou and more

During the month of Ramadan, food takes on a special place in Muslim homes: honey pastries are made in advance, the soup for iftar simmers on the hob and the table is gladly shared with family, neighbours and guests. Most of the 24 recipes on this page come from the Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia), alongside simple condensed-milk desserts that children love. Every recipe has been reviewed and corrected: quantities in grams and millilitres, number of servings, numbered steps, cooking times and temperatures.

They follow the order of a meal: soups (harira, tchicha), starters and savoury dishes (prawn briouats, tuna cigars, stuffed msemen, lamb skewers, seven-vegetable couscous), traditional pastries (chebakia, sellou, makrout, rice briouats), then condensed-milk desserts (florentines, semolina cake, nougat, tarts, crème caramel, choux buns, ice cream and small sweets).

Ramadan cooking: breaking the fast with dates and eating in moderation

The fast ends at sunset, at the time of the maghrib prayer. Following the example of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, many families start with a few dates and a glass of water:

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to break his fast before praying with a few fresh dates; if there were no fresh dates, then with a few dried dates; and if there were none, he would take a few sips of water.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 2356; Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 696, narrated by Anas ibn Malik)

The prayer comes next, and then the meal. This short pause lets the body rehydrate before a larger meal. Every country has its own iftar table: in Morocco, harira sits alongside dates, chebakia, hard-boiled eggs, msemen and baghrir; in Algeria, chorba frik and bourek open the meal, with kalb el louz or zlabia later in the evening; in Tunisia, brik and chorba are favourites; and in the Levant, qatayef, small stuffed pancakes, are the sweet treat of the month.

Ramadan is not, however, a month of excess. The Quran reminds us: “…and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess” (Quran 7:31). The Prophet ﷺ said: “No human ever filled a vessel worse than his stomach. It is enough for the son of Adam to eat a few morsels to keep his back straight. If he must eat more, then a third for his food, a third for his drink and a third for his breath” (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 2380, graded sahih). A few practical pointers:

At iftar, start light (dates, water, soup), then have a balanced plate: vegetables, a source of protein (meat, fish, eggs, pulses) and starchy foods.
Keep fried food and honey pastries to small portions: one or two chebakia are enough of a treat.
Drink water regularly between iftar and suhoor rather than sugary drinks.
Don’t skip suhoor: “Take suhoor, for in suhoor there is blessing” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1923; Sahih Muslim 1095). Choose filling foods: wholemeal bread, oats, eggs, dairy, fruit.
If you have diabetes, are pregnant or take regular medication, ask your doctor for advice before Ramadan (see our article on diabetes and Ramadan).

You will find more advice in our guide to eating well during Ramadan, and iftar and suhoor times for your city on our Ramadan timetable and calendar page.

Cooking for others is also a beautiful way to live this month: “Whoever gives a fasting person something to break his fast with will have the same reward as him, without the fasting person’s reward being reduced in the slightest” (Jami’ at-Tirmidhi 807, graded sahih). For more ideas of good deeds, read how to earn hasanat during Ramadan.

Using these recipes: 1 tbsp = 15 ml and 1 tsp = 5 ml; a kitchen scale gives the most reliable results. Oven temperatures are for a conventional oven; for a fan oven, reduce them by about 20 °C. A 397 g can of sweetened condensed milk is the standard 14 oz can. Much can be done ahead: chebakia, sellou and makrout keep for several weeks in an airtight tin, and briouats freeze well uncooked, laid flat on a tray before being bagged. Never leave hot oil unattended, and refrigerate soups within two hours of cooking.

Harira, the Moroccan iftar soup

Harira is the signature soup of Ramadan in Morocco, and is also made in western Algeria. It brings together tomatoes, pulses, fresh herbs and a little meat, and is thickened at the end with tedouira, a mixture of flour and water that gives it its velvety texture. It is served with dates, lemon wedges and, in Morocco, chebakia.

Makes 8 bowls (about 3.5 litres) · Prep: 30 min · Cooking: 1 hr 30 · Soak the chickpeas the night before

Ingredients

300 g lamb, beef or veal, cut into small cubes, plus 2 or 3 small bones (optional)
150 g dried chickpeas, soaked for 12 hours in cold water (or one 400 g can, drained)
100 g green or brown lentils, rinsed
1 large onion, grated
2 celery sticks with their leaves, finely chopped
1 bunch of coriander and 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 kg very ripe tomatoes, blended (or 800 g passata)
2 tbsp tomato purée (concentrated paste)
30 g butter (or smen) and 2 tbsp oil
1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp black pepper, ½ tsp turmeric, a pinch of saffron
1½ tsp salt, to taste
50 g fine vermicelli or rice
2.5 litres water
For the tedouira: 80 g plain flour and 400 ml cold water
To serve: lemon wedges, dates

Method

In a large pot (at least 5 litres), put the meat, bones, onion, celery, half the herbs, the spices, butter and oil. Cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring.
Add the blended tomatoes, the soaked and drained chickpeas, and the lentils. Pour in the 2.5 litres of water and bring to the boil.
Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the chickpeas and meat are tender (about 30 minutes in a pressure cooker). If you are using canned chickpeas, add them only at the next step.
Dilute the tomato purée in a ladleful of broth and stir it into the pot with the rest of the herbs. Add the vermicelli (10 minutes’ cooking) or the rice (15 to 20 minutes).
Make the tedouira: whisk the flour with the cold water until perfectly smooth.
Pour it in a thin stream into the simmering soup, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Cook over a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often: the soup thickens and loses its raw-flour taste.
Adjust the seasoning and serve piping hot with lemon wedges and dates.

Tips: harira should be velvety and coat the spoon, not thick; thin it with a little hot water if needed. Some families stir in the juice of a lemon at the end. It keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge and thickens as it cools, so add water when reheating. For a vegetarian version, leave out the meat and double the lentils.

Tchicha, cracked wheat soup

Tchicha (or dchicha) is a soup of cracked grains, wheat or barley depending on the region. Light yet filling, it is popular at iftar in both Morocco and Algeria, where a version made with roasted green wheat (frik) and meat became the famous chorba frik.

Serves 4 to 6 · Prep: 10 min · Cooking: 1 hr

Ingredients

150 g cracked wheat (or cracked barley)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
A pinch of saffron
1 tsp sweet paprika
½ tsp ground cumin (optional)
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 tsp salt, black pepper
2 litres water

Method

Soak the saffron for 10 minutes in 2 tbsp hot water. Rinse the cracked wheat in cold water and drain.
In a large saucepan, soften the onion in the olive oil over a medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes without letting it colour.
Add the wheat, saffron, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper, then pour in the 2 litres of water. Bring to the boil.
Lower the heat, half-cover and simmer for about 1 hour, stirring from time to time, until the grain is very soft and the soup creamy. Add a little hot water if it gets too thick.
Add the coriander 15 minutes before the end. Serve hot, with a drizzle of olive oil.

Tip: for a heartier soup, brown 200 g diced lamb with the onion and add a grated tomato: you will be close to a chorba.

Prawn and vermicelli briouats

Briouats are small Moroccan pastries, shaped into triangles, rectangles or cigars and made with brick pastry (Moroccan warqa). The version filled with prawns and rice vermicelli, often called “Chinese vermicelli”, is a classic iftar starter.

Makes 24 briouats (serves 6 to 8) · Prep: 45 min · Cooking: 20 min

Ingredients

500 g raw prawns (or 300 g peeled prawns)
100 g rice vermicelli or glass noodles
12 sheets of brick pastry (or warqa), cut in half
1 lemon
1 bay leaf and 1 sprig of thyme
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
½ bunch of parsley, chopped
1 tsp sweet paprika, ¼ tsp hot chilli powder (to taste), a pinch of saffron
Salt and pepper
50 ml olive oil
1 egg white, to seal
Oil for frying (or 30 g melted butter for baking)

Method

Peel the prawns. Drop them into simmering salted water with a few lemon slices, the bay leaf and thyme for 2 to 3 minutes, until pink. Drain, keeping the cooking water, and cut into pieces.
Off the heat, soak the vermicelli in the hot cooking water for 3 to 5 minutes (see the packet), drain and snip into 3 to 4 cm lengths with scissors.
Gently heat the olive oil in a frying pan with the garlic and celery for 2 minutes. Add the prawns, vermicelli, spices, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir for 2 minutes, take off the heat, add a squeeze of lemon juice and leave to cool completely: a warm filling would make the pastry soggy.
Fold the rounded edge of a half-sheet over to make a strip about 8 cm wide. Place a heaped tablespoon of filling at the bottom of the strip, fold in the sides, then roll it up into a rectangle. Seal the end with a little egg white.
Fry in 2 cm of oil heated to 170–180 °C (340–350 °F) for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until golden. Drain on kitchen paper. To bake instead, brush with melted butter and bake at 200 °C (400 °F, gas 6) for 12 to 15 minutes, turning halfway.

Tips: serve hot with lemon wedges. Uncooked briouats freeze very well; fry them straight from frozen, allowing a little longer.

Tuna briouat cigars

Rolled into cigars, tuna briouats are quick to make. Fresh tuna can be replaced with canned tuna, which is already cooked: in that case, go straight to step 2.

Makes 20 cigars · Prep: 30 min · Cooking: 25 min

Ingredients

500 g fresh tuna (or 300 g drained canned tuna in spring water)
10 sheets of brick pastry, cut in half
4 tbsp chopped coriander
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp paprika
1 to 2 tbsp white vinegar (or lemon juice)
3 bay leaves and 3 cloves
3 tbsp oil
½ tsp salt
1 egg white
Oil for frying

Method

Poach the tuna for 15 to 20 minutes in 750 ml simmering water with the salt, bay leaves, cloves and 1 tbsp oil, until the flesh flakes easily.
Drain, leave to cool slightly and flake with a fork, removing any skin and bones. Mix in the coriander, garlic, cumin, paprika, vinegar and the remaining 2 tbsp oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Fold over the rounded edge of a half-sheet of brick pastry. Place a heaped tablespoon of filling in a line 4 cm from the edge, fold in the sides and roll up tightly into a cigar about 10 cm long. Seal the end with egg white.
Fry in oil heated to 170–180 °C (340–350 °F) for 2 to 3 minutes, turning, until deep golden. Drain on kitchen paper.

Tips: add a chopped hard-boiled egg or a little grated cheese to the filling, or spice it up with a touch of harissa. To bake, brush the cigars with oil and bake at 200 °C (400 °F, gas 6) for 12 to 15 minutes.

Msemen stuffed with spinach and cheese

Msemen (or m’semen) is a square, flaky flatbread found all over Morocco and Algeria, served at iftar or suhoor with honey and butter. Stuffed, it becomes a meal in itself; in Algeria, the version filled with a tomato and onion sauce is called mhadjeb. Here the filling is spinach, vermicelli and cheese.

Makes 12 · Prep: 1 hr · Resting: 30 min · Cooking: 30 min

Ingredients

Dough: 500 g plain flour (or 350 g flour and 150 g fine semolina), 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast (5 g), about 300 ml lukewarm water
For shaping: 100 ml oil and 3 tbsp fine semolina
500 g fresh spinach (or 400 g frozen spinach, thawed)
100 g rice vermicelli or glass noodles
1 garlic clove, chopped (optional)
½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper
3 tbsp oil
200 g grated cheese (Emmental or mozzarella)

Method

Mix the flour, salt and yeast. Gradually add the water and knead for 10 minutes into a smooth, soft, slightly sticky dough.
Divide into 12 balls of about 70 g. Oil them, cover with a tea towel and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, blanch the washed spinach in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain, squeeze it hard between your hands and chop. Soak the vermicelli in hot water for 5 minutes, drain and cut up.
In a frying pan, soften the garlic in the oil, add the spinach, vermicelli, salt and pepper and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes until the mixture is quite dry. Leave to cool.
Oil the work surface and your hands. Spread a ball of dough with your fingertips into a very thin, almost translucent round of 20 to 25 cm. Sprinkle with a little fine semolina.
Put 2 tbsp filling and a little cheese in the centre. Fold the top and bottom over, then the two sides, to make a square of about 10 cm.
Cook in a lightly oiled frying pan or griddle over a medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp. Or bake on an oiled tray at 200 °C (400 °F, gas 6) for 15 to 20 minutes, turning halfway.

Tip: cooked msemen freeze well; reheat them in a dry pan. Without the filling, serve them warm with honey melted in a little butter.

Lamb skewers with coriander

Simple and fragrant, these skewers can be cooked on a barbecue, under the grill or on a griddle pan. They are ideal for the evening meal, later on after iftar.

Serves 4 · Prep: 20 min · Marinating: 30 min to 2 hrs · Cooking: 10 min

Ingredients

500 g boned leg of lamb (or mutton)
2 large onions
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 tsp paprika, a pinch of cayenne pepper, ½ tsp ground cumin (optional)
Salt
8 skewers (wooden ones soaked in water for 30 minutes)

Method

Cut the onions into 3 cm chunks and separate the layers. Soften them in 1 tbsp oil for 3 to 4 minutes, then leave to cool.
Cut the meat into 3 cm cubes, trimming off excess fat. Season with salt, paprika, cayenne and cumin.
Thread the meat onto the skewers, alternating with pieces of onion. Lay the skewers in a dish, scatter with coriander and drizzle with the remaining oil.
Leave to marinate for 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours in the fridge.
Grill over a high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, turning regularly: the meat should be browned outside and still pink in the middle.

Tip: serve with bread, a tomato and onion salad or a little chermoula.

Seven-vegetable couscous

The Friday dish par excellence in Morocco, seven-vegetable couscous brings the whole family together; during Ramadan it finds its place at dinner, later in the evening. The number seven is symbolic: the choice of vegetables varies with the region, the season and the family.

Serves 8 · Prep: 45 min · Cooking: 1 hr 45

Ingredients

1 kg medium couscous
800 g to 1 kg beef (shin or chuck) or lamb, in large pieces
2 onions, sliced
100 g chickpeas, soaked overnight (optional)
300 g each of the following vegetables: turnips, carrots, courgettes, cabbage, potatoes, aubergines, pumpkin, tomatoes
1 bunch of coriander (and parsley), tied with string
1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp sweet paprika, ½ tsp turmeric, a pinch of saffron, 1 tsp black pepper
Salt (about 1 tbsp)
5 tbsp oil
100 g butter (or smen)
About 3 litres water for the broth and 500 ml lukewarm salted water for the couscous

Method

In the bottom of the couscoussier, brown the meat and onions in 3 tbsp oil with the spices for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes in quarters, the drained chickpeas, the herbs and 3 litres of water. Bring to the boil, then cover and cook over a medium heat for 1 hour (40 minutes for lamb).
Put the couscous in a large dish, drizzle with 2 tbsp oil and rub it between your hands. Sprinkle over 250 ml of the lukewarm salted water, separating the grains, then leave to swell for 10 minutes.
Put the couscous in the steamer basket over the pot without packing it down. Steam for 20 minutes, counting from when the steam starts to rise through the grains.
Prepare the vegetables: turnips in quarters, carrots in chunks, courgettes in 3 cm slices, cabbage in large pieces, potatoes in quarters, aubergines in cubes, pumpkin in large chunks.
After the broth has cooked for an hour, add the turnips, carrots and cabbage.
Tip the couscous back into the dish and fluff it up with a fork (then with oiled hands once it has cooled a little). Sprinkle with the remaining 250 ml water and let it absorb, then return it to the basket for a second 20-minute steaming.
Fifteen minutes after the first vegetables, add the potatoes, aubergines, pumpkin and courgettes. Cook for a further 20 to 25 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender.
Tip the couscous onto a serving dish and fluff it up, working in the butter in pieces. If the grains are not yet tender, steam them for a third time for 10 minutes.
Shape the couscous into a mound, make a well in the centre, put the meat in it and arrange the vegetables around. Serve the broth separately in a tureen.

Tips: with shop-bought pre-cooked couscous, hydrate it as directed on the packet and steam it just once with the butter. If you like heat, stir a little harissa into some of the broth.

Chebakia, the honey and sesame flower

A Moroccan iftar is hard to imagine without chebakia (or chbakia): fried pastry flowers soaked in honey and covered with sesame, made in large batches in the days before Ramadan. In Algeria its close cousin is called griwech. Chebakia keep for several weeks.

Makes about 60 · Prep: 2 hrs · Resting: 30 min · Cooking: 1 hr

Ingredients

500 g plain flour
125 g sesame seeds, toasted and ground
1 tbsp aniseed, toasted and ground
1 tsp ground fennel
1 tsp ground cinnamon
A pinch of saffron
A small pinch of gum arabic (or mastic), crushed with 1 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt and 1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
60 g melted butter and 60 ml oil
60 ml orange blossom water
2 tbsp white vinegar
About 60 ml lukewarm water (or milk)
To finish: 1 litre oil for frying, 1 to 1.2 kg runny honey, 2 tbsp orange blossom water, 100 g toasted sesame seeds

Method

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan for 5 minutes, stirring, leave to cool, then grind finely. Toast the aniseed for 1 minute in the same way and grind.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, ground sesame, aniseed, fennel, cinnamon, gum arabic, salt and baking powder.
Steep the saffron in the orange blossom water. Add the egg, melted butter, oil, saffron-infused orange blossom water and vinegar to the dry mixture, then the lukewarm water a little at a time, until you have a firm dough.
Knead for 10 minutes: the dough should be smooth and firm, like fresh pasta dough. Divide it into 4 balls, wrap in cling film and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Roll out one ball with a rolling pin (or a pasta machine) to 2 mm thick. Cut into rectangles of about 8 × 6 cm, ideally with a fluted pastry wheel. Make 4 parallel cuts lengthwise in each rectangle, leaving 1 cm uncut at the edges.
To shape, slip a finger under every other strip to lift the rectangle, bring the two opposite corners together and pinch them, then gently turn the dough inside out to form a flower. Keep the chebakia covered on a tea towel and repeat with the rest of the dough.
Heat the frying oil to 160–170 °C (320–340 °F). In another pan, warm the honey with the orange blossom water until hot and very runny, without letting it boil.
Fry the chebakia in small batches for 4 to 6 minutes, turning, until they turn a deep amber colour. Drain them quickly and plunge them straight into the hot honey for 4 to 5 minutes, turning, until glossy and well coated.
Drain them in a colander, sprinkle immediately with toasted sesame and leave to cool on a tray.

Tips: store at room temperature in an airtight tin. If the honey thickens as you go, warm it gently; any left over can be used for other pastries. For a big family batch (2 kg flour), simply multiply all the quantities by four.

Sellou (sfouf): toasted flour, almonds and sesame

With no frying and no final cooking, sellou, also called sfouf or slilou, is a blend of toasted flour, almonds, sesame, butter and honey, scented with aniseed and cinnamon. Very nourishing, it is eaten by the spoonful with tea, at iftar or suhoor, and is also made for births and celebrations.

Makes about 1.6 kg (around 30 servings) · Prep: 45 min · Cooking: 30 min

Ingredients

500 g plain flour
400 g blanched almonds (including a handful for decoration)
300 g sesame seeds
200 g butter (or smen), melted
125 g honey
100 g icing sugar, plus a little for decoration
1 tbsp aniseed, toasted and ground
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground fennel (optional)
2 grains of gum arabic (or mastic), crushed with 1 tsp sugar
A pinch of salt
2 tbsp tahini (sesame paste) or sesame oil (optional)

Method

Spread the flour on a baking tray and toast it in the oven at 180 °C (350 °F, gas 4) for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until it is golden beige and smells of biscuits. Don’t let it brown or it will taste bitter. Sift once cool.
Toast the almonds in the oven at 180 °C (350 °F, gas 4) for 10 to 12 minutes (or fry them in a little oil). Set aside a handful of whole ones for decoration.
Toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring, until golden.
Grind the cooled almonds finely with the icing sugar (the sugar stops them turning into a paste). Grind half the sesame and keep the rest whole.
In a large dish, mix the flour, almonds, sesame, aniseed, cinnamon, fennel, gum arabic and salt.
Warm the butter with the honey, then pour gradually over the mixture, rubbing it between your hands, until it has the texture of damp sand that holds together when pressed. Add the tahini and mix again.
Shape the sellou into a dome or pyramid on a plate, smooth it, then decorate with icing sugar and whole almonds.

Tips: it keeps for several weeks in an airtight jar away from heat. If it seems too dry, add a little more melted butter. It is very rich, so enjoy it in small amounts.

Date-filled makrout

Diamonds of semolina pastry filled with date paste, fried and then dipped in honey, makrout (also makroud or maqrouth) are hugely popular in Algeria and Tunisia and found all over the Maghreb. There is also an oven-baked version, makrout el koucha.

Makes about 40 · Prep: 1 hr 30 · Resting: 1 hr to overnight · Cooking: 40 min

Ingredients

750 g medium semolina and 250 g coarse semolina
330 g melted, lukewarm fat: half butter (or smen), half margarine or neutral oil
½ tsp ground cinnamon
A pinch of salt
A pinch of saffron (or yellow food colouring, optional)
100 ml orange blossom water and about 100 ml water, depending on the semolina
Filling: 500 g date paste, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp melted butter, 2 tbsp orange blossom water
To finish: oil for frying, 750 g to 1 kg honey, 2 tbsp orange blossom water, sesame seeds (optional)

Method

Mix the semolinas, cinnamon and salt. Pour in the lukewarm fat and rub the semolina between your hands, as for couscous, until every grain is coated. Cover and leave to rest for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight, at room temperature.
Knead the date paste with the cinnamon, butter and orange blossom water until supple. If it is hard, soften it over steam for 10 minutes. Roll it into ropes 1.5 cm thick.
Dissolve the saffron in the mixed water and orange blossom water. Work the semolina in small batches: take about 250 g and moisten it little by little, gathering it together without kneading, until you have a soft dough that holds.
Shape it into a log 4 cm thick and press a groove along its length with your finger. Lay a rope of date paste in it, pinch to close, roll to seal, then flatten slightly into a band about 2 cm thick.
Press a pattern on top with a makrout mould (sold in North African grocers) or the tines of a fork, then cut diagonally into diamonds of about 4 cm. Repeat until all the dough is used.
Fry the makrout in small batches in oil heated to 160–170 °C (320–340 °F) for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden but not brown. For the baked version, bake on a lined tray at 180 °C (350 °F, gas 4) for 20 to 25 minutes.
Warm the honey with the orange blossom water. Dip the makrout while still warm for 2 to 3 minutes, then drain on a rack and sprinkle with sesame if you like.

Tips: don’t knead the dough or it will turn hard when cooked. Choose a soft, not too sweet date paste. Those who like their makrout very sweet dip them in honey a second time once cool. They keep for two weeks in an airtight tin.

Rice pudding and almond briouats

These are sweet briouats: rice cooked in milk, scented with orange blossom and almonds, wrapped in brick pastry. In Morocco they are often dipped in hot honey straight out of the frying pan.

Makes about 20 · Prep: 40 min · Cooking: 45 min · Cooling: 1 hr

Ingredients

125 g pudding rice (short-grain)
500 ml milk
60 g butter
100 g sugar
2 tbsp orange blossom water
80 g blanched almonds, chopped, and 1 tbsp oil
A pinch of ground cinnamon
10 sheets of brick pastry (or warqa), cut in half
1 egg white
Oil for frying
300 g honey (optional)

Method

Rinse the rice. Bring the milk to the boil in a heavy-based pan, add the rice and cook over a low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring often, until the rice is tender and the milk almost completely absorbed.
Add the butter, sugar and orange blossom water and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring: the mixture should be thick. Leave to cool completely.
Fry the almonds in the oil for 3 to 4 minutes until golden, drain and stir them into the rice with the cinnamon.
Place a tablespoon of rice at the bottom of a half-sheet, 3 cm from the edge. Fold both sides of the sheet over the filling to make a strip about 4 cm wide, then roll the strip up from the filled end. Seal with a little egg white.
Fry in oil heated to 170 °C (340 °F) for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
If you like, dip them for a minute in hot honey, then drain on a rack.

Tip: the filling must be cold and firm so it does not leak during cooking. To bake, brush with melted butter and bake at 200 °C (400 °F, gas 6) for 15 minutes.

Caramelised condensed milk, the safe way

Several of the following desserts use caramelised sweetened condensed milk, similar to dulce de leche. The old version of this page suggested boiling the unopened can for two hours: this is risky, because an overheated can may burst, especially if the water boils dry, and some manufacturers themselves warn against it. Here are two safer options:

In the oven: pour a 397 g can of sweetened condensed milk into an ovenproof dish and cover with foil. Stand it in a larger dish filled with 2 to 3 cm of hot water and bake at 220 °C (425 °F, gas 7) for 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes, topping up with hot water as needed, until thick and caramel-coloured. Whisk until smooth and leave to cool.
Ready-made: dulce de leche and caramelised condensed milk are sold in jars or cans in supermarkets and Middle Eastern grocers.

Fruit and nut florentines

These thin, crisp biscuits with almonds and candied fruit are perfect with the evening tea.

Makes about 20 · Prep: 15 min · Cooking: 12 min

Ingredients

100 g sweetened condensed milk (about a quarter of a can)
20 g butter
1 tbsp plain flour (10 g)
100 g flaked almonds
30 g walnut halves, roughly chopped
20 g candied orange peel, chopped
20 g raisins
20 g glacé cherries, quartered
15 g crystallised ginger, chopped
100 g dark chocolate (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F, gas 4) and line two baking trays with baking paper.
In a small pan, melt the butter with the condensed milk over a low heat for 2 minutes, stirring. Off the heat, stir in the flour, then all the nuts and candied fruit.
Drop teaspoonfuls onto the trays, well apart as they spread, and flatten them with the back of a wet spoon.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are well browned.
Leave to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before lifting them off, as they firm up as they cool. Finish cooling on a rack.
If you like, spread the underside of each florentine with melted chocolate and leave to set.

Tip: they keep for a week in a biscuit tin. There is no need to caramelise the condensed milk for this recipe: it browns as it bakes.

Semolina and raisin cake

An inexpensive, comforting family dessert, baked in a water bath over a caramel base, like a crème caramel.

Serves 6 to 8 · Prep: 15 min · Cooking: 50 min · Chilling: 2 hrs

Ingredients

1 can sweetened condensed milk (397 g)
600 ml water (or milk, for a richer cake)
120 g fine semolina
100 to 150 g raisins
3 eggs
30 g butter
1 sachet vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
100 ml ready-made liquid caramel (or 100 g sugar caramelised with 2 tbsp water)
Icing sugar to decorate (optional)

Method

Soak the raisins in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain.
In a saucepan, bring the water, butter, vanilla sugar and condensed milk to a simmer, stirring.
Whisk in the semolina in a steady stream, add the raisins and cook over a low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until you have a thick cream.
Take off the heat, leave to cool for 10 minutes, then quickly beat in the eggs.
Preheat the oven to 170 °C (340 °F, gas 3). Coat the base of a 20 to 22 cm (8 to 8½ in) tin with the caramel and pour in the mixture.
Stand the tin in a dish of hot water that comes halfway up its sides and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a knife blade comes out clean.
Leave to cool, then chill for at least 2 hours. Turn out after running a knife around the edge, dust with icing sugar if you like and serve cold.

Tip: swap the raisins for diced dried apricots, or flavour the cream with orange zest or a spoonful of orange blossom water.

Soft peanut and chocolate nougat

Softer than a classic nougat, this sweet needs no sugar thermometer and is cut into small squares coated in dark chocolate.

Makes about 40 squares · Prep: 25 min · Chilling: 2 hrs 30

Ingredients

1 can sweetened condensed milk (397 g)
100 g honey
250 g white chocolate
500 g unsalted roasted peanuts (or toasted almonds)
150 g dark chocolate

Method

Line a tin of about 20 × 25 cm (8 × 10 in) with baking paper.
In a heavy-based pan, warm the condensed milk and honey over a low heat. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the mixture thickens and turns pale golden: it catches easily.
Off the heat, add the white chocolate in pieces and stir until melted and smooth, then stir in the peanuts.
Pour into the tin, press down and smooth the top. Chill for 2 hours, until firm.
Melt the dark chocolate over a pan of barely simmering water. Turn out the nougat, coat one side with chocolate, leave to set in the fridge for 15 minutes, turn it over and coat the other side.
Once the chocolate has set, cut into 3 cm squares with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry. Keep in the fridge.

Tip: the white chocolate goes in off the heat, as it burns and turns grainy if it cooks.

Chocolate and lemon cream tart

An almond shortcrust base, a thin layer of dark chocolate and a smooth lemon cream: make it the day before or in the morning.

Serves 8 (24 cm / 9½ in tin) · Prep: 40 min · Cooking: 30 min · Chilling: 2 hrs 30

Ingredients

Pastry: 200 g plain flour, 80 g toasted almonds, finely chopped (or ground almonds), 100 g soft butter, 40 g icing sugar, 1 tbsp sweetened condensed milk, a pinch of salt, 1 to 2 tbsp cold water if needed
Lemon cream: 3 egg yolks, 1 can sweetened condensed milk (397 g), 250 ml milk, 30 g cornflour (3 tbsp), juice and zest of 1 unwaxed lemon, 20 g butter
Topping: 100 g dark chocolate, melted; 200 ml very cold whipping or double cream; 1 tbsp icing sugar; 30 g grated chocolate; a few toasted flaked almonds

Method

Mix the flour, almonds, icing sugar and salt. Rub in the butter with your fingertips, then add the condensed milk and, if needed, a little cold water to bring it into a ball. Chill for 30 minutes.
Roll the pastry out to 3 to 4 mm and line a buttered tin. Prick the base, cover with baking paper and baking beans and bake at 180 °C (350 °F, gas 4) for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes, until golden. Leave to cool.
In a saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, condensed milk, milk, cornflour and zest while cold. Thicken over a low heat, whisking constantly (5 to 8 minutes), then let it bubble for 1 minute. Off the heat, add the lemon juice and butter. Leave to cool for 15 minutes with cling film touching the surface.
Spread the melted chocolate over the pastry base and leave it to set in the fridge for 10 minutes.
Pour in the lemon cream, smooth the top and chill for at least 2 hours.
Just before serving, whip the cream with the icing sugar to firm peaks. Decorate the tart with the cream, grated chocolate and flaked almonds.

Tip: the tart can be made the day before; add the whipped cream at the last minute so it stays firm.

Caramel, chocolate and peanut Swiss roll

A rolled sponge filled with milk caramel and peanuts and coated in chocolate: an impressive dessert that is still simple to make.

Serves 8 to 10 · Prep: 30 min · Cooking: 10 min · Chilling: 1 hr

Ingredients

4 eggs
100 g caster sugar
100 g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
250 g caramelised condensed milk (see the method above)
150 g dark chocolate and 20 g butter
100 g unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F, gas 4). Line a 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in) baking tray with buttered baking paper.
Whisk the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer for 8 to 10 minutes, until pale and tripled in volume.
Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold in gently with a spatula, in three goes.
Spread the batter evenly over the tray and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the sponge is barely golden and springy to the touch.
Turn it out at once onto a clean, slightly damp tea towel, peel off the paper and roll it up in the towel. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Unroll the sponge, spread with the caramel, leaving 2 cm clear at the far end, scatter over half the peanuts and roll up again tightly. Place on a rack, seam side down.
Melt the chocolate with the butter over a pan of barely simmering water, pour it over the roll and sprinkle with the remaining peanuts. Chill for 1 hour before slicing.

Tip: roll the sponge as soon as it comes out of the oven: once cold, it is likely to crack.

Apple meringue pudding

Grated apples scented with cinnamon and clove, baked in a condensed-milk custard and topped with golden meringue.

Serves 6 · Prep: 25 min · Cooking: 50 min

Ingredients

4 large tart apples (such as Granny Smith or Bramley)
A few drops of lemon juice
4 eggs, separated
1 can sweetened condensed milk (397 g)
¼ tsp ground cinnamon and a pinch of ground cloves
100 g caster sugar and a pinch of salt
10 g butter for the dish

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F, gas 4) and butter a dish of about 20 × 25 cm (8 × 10 in).
Peel and grate the apples, then sprinkle with a few drops of lemon juice so they don’t brown.
Beat the egg yolks, add the condensed milk, cinnamon and cloves, then stir in the apples.
Pour into the dish and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until set and lightly golden.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg whites with the salt to stiff peaks, then add the sugar in three goes, whisking all the time, until the meringue is firm and glossy.
Spread the meringue over the hot pudding, making peaks, and return to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.
Serve warm or cold.

Tip: spread the meringue over the pudding while it is still hot, right to the edges of the dish: it will shrink less and won’t weep.

No-churn caramel, coffee and almond ice cream

You don’t need an ice-cream maker for this creamy ice cream. It replaces the raw eggs of the old recipe with whipped cream: this is safer, as raw eggs are not recommended for pregnant women, young children, older people or anyone with a weakened immune system.

Makes 6 to 8 bowls · Prep: 20 min · Freezing: at least 6 hrs

Ingredients

1 can caramelised condensed milk (397 g, see above), cooled
400 ml very cold whipping or double cream (at least 30% fat)
2 tsp instant coffee, dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water
80 g toasted flaked almonds
Caramel or chocolate sauce to decorate

Method

Mix the caramelised milk with the coffee until smooth.
Whip the cream to firm peaks (chill the bowl and whisk in the freezer for 15 minutes beforehand).
Fold a third of the cream into the caramel to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest. Add two-thirds of the almonds.
Spoon into bowls or a container, cover and freeze for at least 6 hours.
Take the ice cream out 10 minutes before serving and decorate with sauce and the remaining almonds.

Condensed-milk crème caramel

A great classic of Ramadan tables: smooth, well set and glazed with caramel.

Serves 6 to 8 (20 cm / 8 in mould or 8 ramekins) · Prep: 15 min · Cooking: 35 min to 1 hr · Chilling: 4 hrs

Ingredients

150 g caster sugar and 2 tbsp water for the caramel
4 eggs
1 can sweetened condensed milk (397 g)
400 ml milk (or water, for a lighter result)
1 sachet vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

Method

Heat the sugar and water in a small pan over a medium heat without stirring (swirl the pan instead) until you have an amber caramel, 5 to 8 minutes. Pour it straight into the mould or ramekins and tilt to coat the base. Take care: hot caramel causes serious burns.
Preheat the oven to 160 °C (320 °F, gas 3). Beat the eggs without making them froth, then add the condensed milk, milk and vanilla. Strain through a sieve for a perfectly smooth custard.
Pour over the set caramel, cover with foil and stand in a dish of hot water that comes halfway up the sides.
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour for a large mould, or 30 to 35 minutes for ramekins: it is done when set at the edges but still slightly wobbly in the centre.
Leave to cool, then chill for at least 4 hours. Turn out by running a knife around the edge and flipping it in one go onto a deep plate.

Tip: small holes in the custard mean the oven was too hot or the eggs were over-beaten; lower the temperature by 10 °C next time.

Caramel cream choux buns

Light choux buns filled with a caramel whipped cream, perfect for a family evening.

Makes about 25 · Prep: 40 min · Cooking: 30 min

Ingredients

Choux pastry: 250 ml water, 100 g butter, ½ tsp salt, 15 g sugar, 150 g plain flour, 4 eggs
Filling: 1 can caramelised condensed milk (397 g, see above), cooled; 300 ml very cold whipping or double cream; 2 tbsp cocoa powder or ground almonds
To decorate: cinnamon, cocoa or icing sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 190 °C (375 °F, gas 5) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
In a saucepan, bring the water to the boil with the butter, salt and sugar.
Off the heat, tip in the flour all at once and beat hard. Return to a medium heat and dry the dough out for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until it forms a ball that comes away from the sides of the pan.
Transfer to a bowl, leave to cool for 5 minutes, then beat in the eggs one at a time, beating hard after each addition. The dough should be smooth and glossy, and a line drawn through it with a spatula should slowly close up.
Pipe or spoon (using two spoons) walnut-sized balls onto the tray, 3 cm apart.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes without opening the oven for the first 20 minutes, until the buns are well browned and light. Turn off the oven and leave them for 5 minutes with the door ajar, then cool on a rack.
Whip the cream to firm peaks, then gently fold in the caramel and the cocoa or ground almonds.
Fill the buns just before serving, either by splitting them at the side or piping through the base, then dust with cinnamon, cocoa or icing sugar.

Tip: unfilled choux buns freeze well; crisp them up for 5 minutes in the oven at 180 °C (350 °F, gas 4) before filling.

Caramel and chocolate shortbread squares

Crisp shortbread, a layer of milk caramel and a chocolate topping: these squares can be made ahead and keep for a few days in the fridge.

Makes 16 squares (20 × 20 cm / 8 × 8 in tin) · Prep: 25 min · Cooking: 20 min · Chilling: 1 hr 30

Ingredients

200 g plain flour
125 g cold butter, diced
50 g icing sugar
A pinch of salt
1 can caramelised condensed milk (397 g, see above)
150 g dark or milk chocolate

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F, gas 4) and line the tin with baking paper.
Rub the flour, icing sugar, salt and butter together with your fingertips, then bring into a dough. Press it into the base of the tin, prick it and chill for 15 minutes.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden. Leave to cool.
Whisk the caramel until smooth, spread it over the shortbread and chill for 30 minutes.
Melt the chocolate over a pan of barely simmering water, pour it over the caramel and smooth. Chill for 1 hour, until the chocolate has set.
Cut into squares with a knife run under hot water and serve cold.

Caramel shortbread biscuits for children

An easy shortbread dough to cut out with biscuit cutters, which children will enjoy decorating.

Makes about 30 · Prep: 30 min · Resting: 30 min · Cooking: 10 min

Ingredients

225 g plain flour
125 g soft butter
100 g caster sugar
1 sachet vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
2 egg yolks
A pinch of salt
Half a can of caramelised condensed milk (200 g, see above)
To decorate: flaked almonds, coloured desiccated coconut, grated chocolate

Method

Beat the butter with the sugars until creamy. Add the egg yolks, then the flour and salt, and mix just enough to bring the dough together.
Shape into a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F, gas 4). Roll the dough out to 4 to 5 mm between two sheets of baking paper, cut out shapes and place them on a lined tray.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until barely golden at the edges. Cool on a rack.
Spread a small spoonful of caramel on each biscuit and sprinkle with coconut, almonds or grated chocolate. Leave to set before serving.

Tip: without the topping, the biscuits keep for a week in an airtight tin; decorate them on the day you serve them.

Almond, caramel and sesame bites

No baking is needed once the caramel is ready: these crunchy bites are sliced from a log rolled in toasted sesame.

Makes about 30 · Prep: 20 min · Chilling: 1 hr 30

Ingredients

1 can caramelised condensed milk (397 g, see above), cooled
400 g toasted almonds, chopped
100 g toasted sesame seeds
50 g dark chocolate and 50 g white chocolate

Method

Mix the caramel and almonds into a thick paste. If it is too soft, chill it for 15 minutes.
On cling film, shape it into two logs about 4 cm thick, wrap them tightly and chill for 1 hour.
Unwrap the logs, roll them in the toasted sesame, wrap again (in cling film or foil) and chill for 30 minutes.
Cut into 1.5 cm slices. Melt the two chocolates separately over barely simmering water and drizzle them over the bites in thin lines. Keep in the fridge.

Coconut truffles

The simplest treat on this page: a few biscuits, condensed milk, coconut and chocolate.

Makes about 35 · Prep: 25 min · Chilling: 1 hr 30

Ingredients

1 can sweetened condensed milk (397 g)
200 g plain butter biscuits (such as petit beurre or rich tea)
200 g desiccated coconut
150 g dark chocolate and 1 tsp neutral oil

Method

Blitz the biscuits to crumbs, then add the condensed milk and 150 g of the coconut. Blend into a smooth paste and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour to firm it up.
With slightly damp hands, roll into balls of 2 to 3 cm.
Melt the chocolate with the oil over barely simmering water. Dip each ball, place it on baking paper and sprinkle at once with the remaining coconut.
Chill for 30 minutes. The truffles keep for a week in a closed container in the fridge.

Enjoy your meal, and Ramadan Mubarak

These recipes are only a glimpse of Ramadan cooking: every family has its own way of doing things, and many other specialities would deserve a place here, from Moroccan baghrir to Algerian chorba frik and kalb el louz, and the qatayef of the Levant. To plan ahead, check the expected start date of Ramadan and the date of Eid al-Fitr, the celebration that closes the month: remember to keep a few chebakia and makrout aside to give as gifts on the day.

Enjoy your meal, and Ramadan Mubarak to you all!