Ashta Cream

Ashta Cream is curdled milk that is mixed with rose water, orange blossom water, and powdered sugar. In Lebanon we use Ashta to top on fruit cocktail, desserts, or atayef. It's has the texture of ricotta cheese but sweet.

Make sure your milk gallon says pasteurized milk and not ultra pasteurized milk if purchasing in the U.S. With Ashta you are trying to separate the fat in the milk from the liquid. But that also means with 8 cups of milk you will only get 1 cup of ashta afterwards. The reward is in the taste afterwards.

Different brands of milk will give you different result. I have had success with BJ's Wellsly Milk, and not with Hood Milk. So try different whole milk pasterized brands to find the one.

8 cups Whole Fat Milk

1 tablespoon Lemon Juice

2 tablespoon White Vinegar

2 tablespoon powdered sugar

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp rose water

1 tsp orange blossom water

Prepare a cheesecloth inside a sieve and place the sieve over a bowl. Have a skimmer spoon next to you. (The large spoon with holes used for frying)

Directions:

1. In a large pot, add milk and bring to a simmer on medium heat. Constantly mix the milk so it doesn't burn at the bottom of the pot.

Note: If you are measuring with a food thermostat. It should reach 180 F before adding lemon juice and vinegar.

2. Once the milk has reached a simmer. Lower the heat to low and add Lemon juice and vinegar. You will start to see that the milk is starting to curdle (The process of curdling should take seconds). Keep mixing and scooping the curdled milk into the cheesecloth.

3. When you have scooped all the curdled milk, discard the remaining water in the pot.

4. All the curdled milk to sit for 1 hr. in the cheesecloth to strain any excess liquid.

5. Remove curdled milk and place in a small bowl. Add powdered sugar, lemon juice, rose water, and orange blossom water. Mix well.

6. Place in fridge until use.