Qatayef Asafiri (Cream-Filled Bird Pancakes)
Today I’m sharing Qatayef Asafiri, or Cream-Filled Bird Pancakes.
In the Levant, it’s not Ramadan without qatayef/atayef. You can see street vendors and bakery windows lined with bubbly pancakes, waiting to be taken home and stuffed with sweet cheese, nuts or clotted cream before iftar, or the breaking of the fast. The tradition has been around for centuries. It’s by far the most widely recognized Ramadan treat.
Last year, I featured the fried version of qatayef (find it here), which are like syrup-soaked palm-sized pockets of soft pancake dough stuffed with sweet cheese or nuts. Qatayef Asafiri, on the other hand, are half pressed together to from scoops (or little bird beaks) and are filled with a mastic and orange blossom-scented cream, which is then topped with chopped pistachios. The same sweet nectar-like liquid is drizzled on top.
These treats are like a fragrant texture party in your mouth. The soft pancakes envelope the smooth cream as you feel the delicate crunch of the pistachios between your teeth. The floral and piney orange blossom and mastic rise up past your palate and into your nose as you chew. You can never have enough syrup, but drizzling it on yourself means Qatayef Asafiri are really as sweet as you want them to be (but I love them drippingly so 😋).
The dough is basically a pancake batter with a few additional elements (including yeast and orange blossom). They’re lightly risen to allow the bubbles to appear on the surface when cooking on a griddle or skillet. Unlike traditional American pancakes, you want one side to have some moisture so it can be pinched together. Once one side is a deep golden, they’re reserved on a baking sheet until they meet their fellow accompaniments.
You will use a piping back for the cream to stuff the pancakes. Room temperature is easier than cold. The cream can be prepared a few hours ahead and left on the counter to cool. Alternatively, prepare it 1 day ahead and allow to come to room temp before piping.
I hope you give this recipe a try! If you do, don’t forget to add it to the comments to let everyone know how it worked out. I also love to see your creations! Tag #omayahcooks and @omayah.atassi on Instagram.
Qatayef Asafiri (Bird Pancakes)
These bird beak-shaped pancake scoops are stuffed with an orange blossom and mastic clotted cream and drizzled with an orange blossom simple syrup.
*Note: if you have access to Aunt Jemima's pancake mix, combine 1 c Aunt Jemima's, 1 c flour, envelope of yeast, 2 Tbsp orange blossom and 1/2 tsp sugar. Directions are the same as follows.
Makes: About 30
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
Pancakes:
2 c all purpose flour
1.5 Tbsp plus 1/2 tsp sugar
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/3 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 envelope instant yeast (7 g)
2 Tbsp orange blossom water
2 c water plus 2 Tbsp
*if you have access to Aunt Jemima's see note above
Clotted Cream (Qashta):
3 c heavy whipping cream
3/4 c half and half or whole milk
5 Tbsp corn starch
3 Tbsp orange blossom
1/4 tsp ground mastic
Syrup:
2 c sugar
1 c water
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp orange blossom
To serve:
1/4 c pistachios, crushed
Instructions:
Make the clotted cream (qashta) by dissolving the corn starch in the half and half or whole milk in a small bowl. Add the whipping cream to a large saucepan over high heat. When it starts boiling, add the corn starch mixture and mix continuously until smooth. Continue mixing for about another minute or two to allow the corn starch to activate. Add the orange blossom and take off the heat after about 30 seconds and add the mastic.
Place in a heat-resistant container and cool completely on the counter. If using the next day, move to the fridge. Allow to come to room temp before using.
To prepare the syrup, combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over high. Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves and the water starts to boil. Reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes. Can be stored in the fridge up to 5 days.
To make the pancakes, combine all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and whisk together until a smooth batter forms and no lumps remain. Rest for 30-45 minutes.
Heat an electric griddle or large skillet on high for 2-3 minutes. Reduce to medium. Pour batter into 2-inch rounds. You will start to see bubbles forming on the surface. If bubbles don’t form evenly, add a couple more tablespoons of water to the batter and whisk to combine.
Allow to cook for about 2 minutes, watching carefully and removing immediately when the entire surface becomes matte and the bottom turns a deep golden. If the bottom is turning brown too quickly, lower the heat. If it’s not browning quickly enough, turn up the temp. Transfer to a large tray and repeat with remaining batter.
Rest the pancakes for about 30 minutes. Pinch about half the pancake closed to form a scoop. If you’d like to prepare these ahead of time, at this point, you can wrap them in paper towels and refrigerate in a zip top bag up to 2 days. Otherwise, move onto the next step.
Fill the piping bag with the clotted cream and pipe into the pancake scoops. Top with crushed pistachios. Serve immediately with the syrup on the side.