Aish el Saraya

Aish el Saraya is a Levantine sweet made by soaking toasted bread in sweet syrup, layering white milk cream on top, and chilling it. Its name means “palace bread.” However, the name alone does not tell us whether the sweet originated at a royal court, or when people began making it.

Soaking the Bread in Syrup

The bread is dried or toasted until browned, then broken up and spread in a dish. Once it is soaked with sugar syrup, the crisp, dry bread turns into a sweet, soft base. Ashta, a rich milk cream, is then spread over it, scattered with pistachios or similar toppings, and chilled.

Soaking It with Caramelized Syrup

Some recipes caramelize the sugar first so that the syrup takes on a caramel aroma. The toasty notes that come from baking the bread are layered with the sweetness of the syrup and the mellowness of the milk cream. How well the sweet holds together and how it feels in the mouth vary with the size and dryness of the bread and the amount of syrup it absorbs.

In the method of Rama Abufares Elsabeh, a graduate of the American University of Beirut, the sugar is first melted until golden, and water is added to make a syrup. Toasted, broken-up bread is soaked with the fragrant syrup, then layered with ashta and pistachios. This dish appears in a recipe collection by fellow graduates and friends.

For Those Who Gather

The writer of one food article recalls a relative bringing this sweet on a large platter to a Christmas gathering. It is one family’s example, with white cream layered over a scented syrup base and scattered with pistachios. This sweet also appears at occasions when a large platter is shared.

Versions Made with Semolina

Layali Lubnan uses semolina cooked in milk as its base. Most of the methods presented for Aish el Saraya use bread, but some recipes under the same name use semolina. A recipe from the dairy company Arla gives an example in which cream and milk containing semolina are layered over bread and baked, and syrup is soaked in afterward. The whole dish is chilled, then cut into pieces or spooned into individual dishes to serve.

Glossary