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Znoud el sit
Cream-filled filo fingers
Znoud el sit ('ladies' arms'): crisp filo fingers filled with orange-blossom cream
LebaneseLebanese sweet shops in Tripoli and Saida fry trays of znoud el sit every evening during Ramadan, and families queue for them after iftar. Filo is rolled around a thick, set milk cream (a home version of ashta), baked or fried until shatteringly crisp, then dipped in cold syrup and dusted with ground pistachios. The contrast of crackling pastry and cool, fragrant cream is the whole point, so eat them within an hour or two of filling. Common mistake: filling with warm cream; it leaks and makes the pastry soggy, so chill it until firm. Chef's tip: brush with clarified butter rather than whole butter — it browns evenly without burning and keeps the rolls crisp longer.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the cream (ashta)
- 2 cups whole milk
- ¾ cup double cream
- 1 ⅝ oz cornflour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp orange blossom water
For the pastry
- 8 filo pastrysheets, about 270 g
- 2 ⅞ oz clarified butter (ghee)melted
For the syrup
- 9 oz sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp rose water
To finish
- 1 ⅜ oz pistachiosfinely ground
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Make the syrup: boil 9 oz sugar and ¾ cup water for 6 minutes, add 1 tsp lemon juice and 1 tsp rose water, then chill.
7 minStep 2: Whisk 1 ⅝ oz cornflour with a little of 2 cups whole milk until smooth, then add the rest of the milk, ¾ cup double cream and 2 tbsp sugar. Stir over a medium heat for 6–8 minutes until very thick and bubbling. Stir in 1 tbsp orange blossom water.
8 minStep 3: Spread the cream on a plate, cover the surface with cling film and chill for at least 1 hour until firm enough to pipe.
60 minStep 4: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Cut the 8 filo pastry stack in half crossways. Brush one piece with 2 ⅞ oz clarified butter (ghee), lay a second on top and brush again.
Step 5: Pipe or spoon a 2 cm-thick line of cream along the short edge, fold in the sides and roll up into a finger. Place seam-down on a lined tray and brush with ghee. Repeat with the rest.
Step 6: Bake for 15–18 minutes until deep golden and crisp all over.
18 minStep 7: While still hot, dip each roll briefly in the cold syrup, set on a rack and dust the ends with 1 ⅜ oz pistachios. Serve within 2 hours.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 400 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 56 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does znoud el sit take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
- What can I use instead of double cream?
- Whipping cream, same amount (less rich; whips softer).
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Perfect for:Ramadan