The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Ramadan celebrations are directly rooted in Egyptian culture and are marked with vibrant get-togethers, incredible food, and flavours, especially in the form of desserts. From rich basbousa squares to layered baklava bites, there is no shortage of Ramadan dessert recipes that are easy and delicious. Nothing says celebrations the way Ramadan sweets do. As much as it is fun to try out the latest Ramadan dessert trends from patisserie shops, making your own at home can be just as delightful. No one needs to be an expert chef to try those Ramadan staples at home; they’re deliciously easy and a fabulous way to impress people at gatherings. Besides, it’s a great activity for you and your family or friends to gather over!  

Qatayef  

One of Ramadan’s crunchiest treats is made from mini pancakes, stuffed, fried to golden perfection, and then drenched in syrupy goodness. The best thing about qatayef is that they entail the same recipe as pancakes with a few minor differences – so it’s pretty simple to make. You can get as creative as you want with fillings, from the classical cream and nuts to the more modern direction of Lotus and Nutella fillings. Check out this easy-to-follow recipe and make it yourself! 

Basbousa 

The classic basbousa might seem intimidating for some people, but this traditional Ramadan staple is very easy to make – and can be done in less than an hour. This satisfyingly dense semolina cake is primarily made from semolina flour and coconut, then soaked in sweet syrup and topped with nuts. Here’s a recipe that guarantees a glistening, syrupy basbousa! 

Baklava 

Even though baklava is a dessert many countries cherish, the Egyptian baklava recipe is crispy, moist, flaky and syrupy with just the right amount of sweetness. While baklava can be seen as tiring, most of the work is actually stacking and buttering the phyllo dough. It is inherently simple, and the result is well worth the time spent in the kitchen when you decide to make it yourself. Visit this link for the recipe. 

Balah El-Sham

Crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside are the exact words you would want to hear when Balah El-Sham is involved. This Egyptian take on Mexican churros is a classic item on the Ramadan dessert menu, and it’s super easy to make. To put it simply, all you need to do is some mixing and frying to get this done. Those delicious fried choux pastry dough drizzled with utterly divine simple syrup and nuts are the perfect accompaniment to tea or coffee after Iftar. Check out this recipe if you want to make it yourself! 

Om Ali 

This crowd-pleaser is always the star of any Ramadan dessert table, trends come and go, and Om Ali stays put with minimal fads like Lotus entering its realm. This traditional Egyptian recipe resembles bread pudding and is made with puff pastry (or leftover bread), pistachios, raisins, coconut flakes, and a sweet milky cream mixture that resembles a custard. The whole process relies mainly on assembly – then all you have to do is pop it in the oven to get a golden brown colour. Here’s the link to the recipe.