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Malban bel Ashta is a traditional Egyptian candy  filled with creamy clotted cream, folded into a delicate half-moon. This festive indulgence from Al Mawlid AL Nabawy melts in your mouth, offering a taste of Cairo’s beloved candy heritage.

Recipe at a Glance 

• Cuisine: Egyptian Cuisine  
• Primary Cooking Method: Stove Top  
• Dietary Info: Vegetarian
• Key Flavor: Sweet . Floral . Subtle Piney
• Skill Level: Intermediate -Advanced 

What is Malban Bel Ashta 

Among the confections of Al Mawlid, none felt as delicate and indulgent as Malban bel Ashta. A sheet of semi-transparent, scented candy—soft and supple, was stretched, then used to cradle a cloud of clotted cream. The vendor would fold it into a neat half-moon, sealing inside that tender mound of sweetness. The contrast was irresistible: the gentle chew of the candy yielding to the cool, velvety cream. This delight was the brainchild of the famed Egyptian confectioner Kowaidar, whose mastery elevated it to festival legend. Of all the sweets I grew up with, it was Malban bel Ashta that I missed most when I immigrated. The longing became so strong that I eventually attempted it in my own kitchen—recreating the taste of home, one tender fold at a time.

Kowaidar’s Original Stuffed Malban

Ingredients & Substitutions 

White Granulated Sugar

Water

Glucose Syrup

Lemon juice

Cornstarch

Mastic

Rose Water

Cardamom Pods

Store Bought Clotted Cream

Fresh Clotted Cream

Powdered Sugar

Pistachios for Garnish

• Granulated Sugar: The main sweetener that forms the candy’s structure and provides crispness when cooked. 

• Water: Dissolves sugar and helps create the syrup base for the candy. 

• White Honey or Glucose Syrup: Adds chewiness, prevents crystallization, and enhances sweetness. 

• Lemon Juice: Balances sweetness and prevents sugar from crystallizing, adding a subtle tang. Substitute: lemon salt (aka citric acid).

• Aromatics (Cardamom, Mastic, Rose Water, Orange Blossom Water): Infuse the candy with floral, resinous, and fragrant notes. Pick one, two or more or blend for personal flavor; if mastic is unavailable, a pinch of cardamom goes a long way. 

• Cornstarch-Sugar Mix: Used to dust or coat the candy to prevent sticking and give a soft exterior finish. 

• Clotted Cream: You can make your own using fresh milk or get a good quality store bough one. Avoid canned clotted cream as it is too runny and will turn the Malban soggy.
• Pistachios: Use toasted pistachios for stuffing the malban along with the clotted cream and/or dust some pulverize fresh pistachios to ad a vibrant note to the malban. 

Tips to Make the Best Malban Bel Ashta 

Let water, Sugar and lemon sugar boil for 5 minutes.

Mix water and cornstarch until it is lump-free.

Add the cornstarch-water mixture to the simple syrup.

Add the lemon juice to the syrup.

Keep Whisking for 30 minutes, until it is becomes pale yellow.

Pour it over an oiled surface.

Spread it with 1/4-inch thickness.

Cut out disks of 2 inches diameter and 1/4-inch thickness

Place clotted cream in a fine mesh sieve to discard any excess liquid before stuffing the Malban.

Fill each Malian dish with the clotted filling.

Kowaidar’s Original Stuffed Malban

Serve with tea or coffee.

1. Use High-Quality Ingredients:

   • Fresh clotted cream (ashta) is essential for the creamy center. If unavailable, mascarpone or thick, well-strained ricotta works.

   • Use pure rose water, orange blossom water, and real mastic for authentic flavor.

2. Cook the Sugar Candy Carefully:

   • Use a candy thermometer to reach the soft-ball stage (~235–240°F / 113–115°C).

   • Adding honey or glucose syrup helps keep the candy elastic and chewy.

3. Prevent Sticking:

   • Dust your work surface and hands lightly with a mix of cornstarch and powdered sugar.

   • Keep a small bowl of water nearby to wet your hands slightly if the candy becomes sticky.

4. Timing is Key 

   • Place a small dollop of ashta on the sheet and fold it into a half-moon. Avoid overfilling, or the candy may tear. 

   • Fill it on the same day of serving as the ashta might get watery and ruin the malban.

5. Flavor Balance:

   • Mastic is very strong; use sparingly to avoid overpowering the cream.

   • Rose water and orange blossom water should enhance, not dominate, the sweetness.

   • A pinch of Himalayan salt will go a long way in balancing the sweetness, 

6. Storage:

   • Store finished Malban bel Ashta in a cool, dry place.

   • Dust lightly with powdered sugar or cornstarch to prevent sticking.

More Mawlid Al Sharif Candy Recipes 

Semsemeya (Egyptian Sesame Brittle for Al Malid Al Nabawy)

Malban Bel Ashta Recipe

Nermine Mansour

Malban bel Ashta is a traditional Egyptian candy filled with creamy clotted cream, folded into a delicate half-moon. This festive Egyptian sweet from Al Mawlid AL Nabawy melts in your mouth, offering a taste of Cairo’s beloved candy heritage.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Cooling Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine Egyptian

Servings 20 Pieces

Do you like this recipe? Please click here to rate it 🙏

Equipment

• Sifter
• Wire Whisk
• Heavy bottom pan
• Rolling pin with handle

Ingredients

  

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Simple Syrup

• ▢ 3 cups sugar
• ▢ 2 cups water
• ▢ Juice of 1 lime
• ▢ 2 tablespoons honey or glucose syrup

Sugar-Cornstarch Mixture

• ▢ ½ cup water
• ▢ ¾ cup cornstarch

Aromatics

• ▢ ½ teaspoon mastic
• ▢ 1 tablespoon sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon rose water or orange blossom

Stuffing

• ▢ ½ cup clotted cream (Ashta)

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Instructions

 

• Make the dusting mixture: Into a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 1/4 tablespoons cornstarch. Sprinkle about half this mixture this mixture over the parchment paper. Set the remaining dusting mixture aside.
• Prepare the working surface: Spray 11x11-inch square baking dish with some oil and line it with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Dust the latter with the dusting mixture mixture you made in step 1.
• Make the sugar syrup: Into a large saucepan set over medium-low heat, add the sugar, water and lemon juice and . Heat gently without stirring for 5 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved.
• In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and cold water until it is lump free. Whisk into sugar syrup. Add honey or glucose and whisk to break up any lumps. Add the ground mastic mixed with sugar. Bring to a boil, then simmer over a medium heat for 20-30 minutes, whisking often. The mixture is ready when it reaches a "soft ball" stage" (see notes). It should thicken and turns pale yellow – like a soft jelly that is just about set.
• Remove from the heat. Stir in the rose water or orange blossom. Carefully, pour the mixture over the baking sheet.
• Leave the mixture to set in a cool spot on your countertop for 2 hours at least or overnight. Dust a cookie cutter with the cornstarch-sugar mixture and cut out circles, about ¼ inch thick, in the diameter you prefer. Place a spoonful of clotted cream in the center of each disk, then fold it into a half-moon shape, gently crimping the edges to seal. Arrange the stuffed malban on a tray generously dusted with the dusting/cornstarch-sugar mixture. Once all the pieces are filled, dust the top of the stuffed malban generously as well. Serve immediately or keep it in an airtight container for no more than 2 days.

Nermine's Notes

1. A soft ball stage is when sugar syrup is heated to 235°F–240°F (112°C–116°C) and then dropped into a bowl of cold water, it forms a soft, flexible ball that flattens when removed from the water. This stage is commonly used for candies and desserts that need a chewy or creamy texture.
2. In case you can't find fresh or store bought clotted cream, make your own using this recipe. 
3. The clotted cream might discard some liquid, so consume the stuffed malban within 1 or two days maximum.
4. Avoid the canned clotted cream, it is too runny and will get the malban soggy.
5. To save time and effort, use store-bought. plain malban. Flatten it, suing a rolling pin to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut it out into disks and stuff it with clotted cream.

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Keyword Al-Mawlid Al-Nabawy, Candies

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