My First Little Bird
I first tasted these pastries in my friend Leila’s kitchen. She called them her “little birds.” I watched her fold the warm pancakes. She pinched them just so, leaving a little beak open. Then she filled them with sweet cream. I still laugh at that. My first try looked more like a sleepy owl.
Making them feels like a hug. The smell of rose water fills the air. It mixes with the warm cinnamon. Doesn’t that smell amazing? This recipe is for a special day. But the feeling is for any day you need joy.
Why The Batter Rests
You must let the batter sit for 30 minutes. This matters more than you think. I use this time to tidy up. Or I just sit with a cup of tea.
The flours drink up the milk and flower waters. This makes the pancakes tender. It gives them strength to hold the filling. Rushing this step makes tough little birds. Good things need a little rest. So do we.
The Magic Is In The Scents
Rose and orange blossom water are the soul of this treat. They are not like perfume. They are gentle and floral. *Fun fact*: these waters are made by steaming the flowers. It captures their gentle soul.
Mahlab is a secret too. It comes from the pit of a cherry. It tastes like sweet almonds and flowers. Have you ever cooked with flower waters or mahlab? Tell me what you made.
Cooking The Perfect Pancake
This is the only tricky part. You cook them on one side only. Look for lots of tiny bubbles on top. The top should look dry, not shiny. The bottom will be a lovely gold.
Do not flip them. That is the rule. We need the inside soft to fold. The first one is always a test. If it burns, just lower the heat. No one gets it perfect the first time. Do you have a recipe that took a few tries?
Filling Your Little Birds
Now for the fun part. Fold the pancake, golden side out. Pinch the edges to make a little pouch. Leave that small opening at the top. It looks like a bird’s beak waiting for food.
Pipe in the sweet mascarpone cream. Then dip the creamy end in chopped pistachios. The green nuts look like grass in a bird’s beak. This matters because food should be a delight for the eyes, too. Would you eat these warm or chilled? I can never decide.
A Story To Share
Leila told me these are for celebrating. In her family, they make them for Eid. But she said joy is for sharing. So we made them for Christmas one year.
That is the best lesson. Food is a language of love. It can blend traditions and make new ones. The kitchen is where we learn that. What is a food that makes you think of celebration? I would love to hear your story.
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) | For the pancakes |
| Semolina flour | ½ cup plus 1 tbsp (3 ounces/85 grams) | For the pancakes |
| Ground cinnamon | 1 teaspoon | For the pancakes |
| Ground mahlab | 1 teaspoon | For the pancakes |
| Baking powder | 1 teaspoon | For the pancakes |
| Baking soda | ¼ teaspoon | For the pancakes |
| Table salt | ½ teaspoon | For the pancakes |
| Ground anise seeds | ½ teaspoon | For the pancakes |
| Whole milk | 2 cups | For the pancakes |
| Honey | ¼ cup | For the pancakes |
| Plain whole-milk yogurt | 1 tablespoon | For the pancakes |
| Rose water | 1 tablespoon | For the pancakes |
| Orange blossom water | 1 tablespoon | For the pancakes |
| Vegetable oil | ½ teaspoon | For cooking pancakes |
| Mascarpone | 16 ounces (454 grams/2 cups) | For the filling |
| Whole milk | ¼ cup | For the filling |
| Honey, divided | ½ cup | For the filling and drizzling |
| Rose water | 2 tablespoons | For the filling |
| Orange blossom water | 1 tablespoon | For the filling |
| Ground cinnamon | ½ teaspoon | For the filling |
| Ground mahlab | ½ teaspoon | For the filling |
| Table salt | ¼ teaspoon | For the filling |
| Shelled pistachios, chopped fine | ¼ cup | For coating the filling |
Instructions
Step 1: Let’s make our pancake batter. Whisk all the dry ingredients in one bowl. In another, whisk the milk, honey, yogurt, and flower waters. Pour the wet into the dry and whisk until smooth. Let this batter rest for 30 minutes. It needs a little nap. (Cover the bowl with a clean towel so it doesn’t get a draft!)
Step 2: Now, the sweet filling. Stir the mascarpone, milk, some honey, and all those lovely spices together. It will smell like a holiday garden. Put this creamy mix into a pastry bag. Pop it in the fridge. This keeps it firm and easy to pipe later.
Step 3: Time to cook our little pancakes. Heat your skillet slowly over low heat for five minutes. Wipe it with a tiny bit of oil. Do a test pancake with two tablespoons of batter. Cook it for two minutes without flipping. You’ll know it’s ready when the top is covered in tiny bubbles. (If it burns, just lower the heat and try again. We all have a test pancake!)
Step 4: Cook the rest of the pancakes. Spoon the batter into the hot skillet. You can cook a few at a time. Just leave some space between them. Watch for those little bubbles all over the top. The bottom should be a perfect golden brown. Never flip them! I still laugh at my first try where I flipped them all.
Step 5: Keep the cooked pancakes warm and soft. Place them browned-side up on a baking sheet. Put parchment paper between the layers. This stops them from sticking together. You should have a lovely stack of 26 to 30 little rounds. Doesn’t that smell amazing already?
Step 6: Let’s fill our little birds! Fold a pancake in half and pinch the edges, but leave a small opening. Pipe in the creamy filling from the pastry bag. Then, dip the creamy opening into the chopped pistachios. It looks like a little beak! What other nut could make a fun “beak”? Share below! Drizzle them all with the last of the honey. Now they are ready to fly to the table.
Creative Twists
My grandkids love to help me with these. We sometimes make fun changes. Try a dollop of lemon curd inside with the mascarpone for a zing. Use crushed, toasted almonds instead of pistachios for the crunch. For a chocolate surprise, add a tiny bit of cocoa powder to the pancake batter. Which one would you try first? Comment below!
Serving & Pairing Ideas
These pastries are a celebration on a plate. I serve them on a big platter with fresh mint leaves. A little bowl of extra honey for drizzling is nice, too. For a drink, a hot cup of mint tea is perfect. For the grown-ups, a sweet dessert wine pairs beautifully. Which would you choose tonight?
Keeping Your Little Birds Happy
These pastries are best fresh. But we can save some for later. Store them in one layer on a plate. Cover them loosely in the fridge for a day.
I do not suggest freezing the filled ones. The filling gets weepy. But you can freeze the plain, cooked pancakes. Layer them between parchment paper in a bag.
Thaw them at room temperature before filling. This matters because it saves you time on a busy day. You can have fresh treats ready in minutes.
My first batch, I stacked them warm. They stuck together like glue! Now I let them cool first. Have you ever tried storing it this way? Share below!
Fixing Common Little Bird Troubles
First, pancakes tearing when you fold them. This means they are undercooked. Cook until the top looks dry with many bubbles.
Second, filling that is too runny. Your mascarpone might have been too warm. Always start with cold cheese from the fridge.
Third, pancakes browning too fast. Your skillet is too hot. Turn the heat down to medium-low. I once made a batch of little charcoal birds!
Getting the heat right matters for perfect texture. A gentle fold matters for a beautiful shape. Which of these problems have you run into before?
Your Quick Questions, Answered
Q: Can I make this gluten-free? A: Try a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. Results may vary slightly.
Q: Can I make parts ahead? A: Yes! Make the batter and filling a few hours early. Keep them chilled.
Q: What if I don’t have mahlab? A: Use a tiny pinch of almond extract. It gives a similar lovely note.
Q: Can I make a half batch? A: Absolutely. Just halve all the ingredients. It works perfectly.
Q: Are the flower waters optional? A: They give the special flavor. But you can use just one type. *Fun fact: Orange blossom water is made from the flowers of bitter orange trees.* Which tip will you try first?
From My Kitchen to Yours
I hope you try making these sweet little birds. They bring such joy to a holiday table. Cooking is about sharing stories and creating smiles.
I would love to hear about your baking adventures. Tell me all about it in the comments. Have you tried this recipe? Let me know how it went for you.
Happy cooking!
—Elowen Thorn.
Christmas Qatayef Little Bird Pastries
Description
Qatayef Asafiri (Little Birds) are festive Middle Eastern pancakes filled with sweet mascarpone and drizzled with honey.
Ingredients
16 ounces (454 grams/2 cups) mascarpone
¼ cup whole milk
½ cup honey, divided
2 tablespoons rose water
1 tablespoon orange blossom water
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground mahlab
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ cup shelled pistachios, chopped fine
Instructions
- Whisk flour, semolina, cinnamon, mahlab, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and anise seeds together in medium bowl. In second bowl, whisk milk, honey, yogurt, rose water, and orange blossom water until smooth. Add milk mixture to flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Let batter stand, covered, for 30 minutes.
- Fit pastry bag with ½-inch round tip. Stir mascarpone, milk, ¼ cup honey, rose water, orange blossom water, cinnamon, mahlab, and salt in medium bowl until combined. Transfer filling to pastry bag and refrigerate until needed.
- Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over low heat for at least 5 minutes. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Using paper towel, wipe out skillet. Increase heat to medium and let skillet heat for 1 minute. Test heat of skillet by placing 2 tablespoons of batter in center and cook for 2 minutes. If entire surface of pancake is covered with small bubbles, top is no longer raw or shiny, and bottom is golden brown, skillet is properly heated. If top is raw and shiny after 2 minutes or bottom is too dark, adjust heat accordingly and retest.
- Spoon 2 tablespoons (or use #40 portion scoop) of batter into skillet in 3 places, leaving space between each pancake. Cook until entire surface is covered with small bubbles, top is no longer raw or shiny, and bottom is golden brown, 2 minutes. Do not flip pancakes.
- Transfer pancakes, browned side up, to prepared baking sheet without overlapping. Cover with another piece of parchment to keep them moist. Repeat with remaining batter, placing cooked pancakes side by side on baking sheet and stacking between layers of parchment. You should have 26 to 30 pancakes.
- Place pistachios in small, shallow bowl. With browned side facing out, fold 1 pancake in half and pinch edges together to seal, leaving quarter of pancake open for filling. Insert pastry tip about 1 inch into opening and squeeze gently until mascarpone mixture fills cavity and starts to appear around opening, about 2 tablespoons per pancake. Dip exposed mascarpone into pistachios. Place filled pancake on serving platter. Repeat to make 24 filled pancakes. Drizzle pancakes with remaining ¼ cup honey and serve.
Notes
- For best results, serve Qatayef fresh. The unfilled pancakes can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Fill just before serving.