Fruit Cocktail with Ashta

This summer my parents went overseas to Palestine and Jordan to visit our extended family. On one occasion, my parents were downtown enjoying a fruit cocktail. This is a treat that I almost always purchased when I would go out to the city at a cafe. I know you may think cocktail and automatically figure it is some sort of a drink but no, it is just like a fruit parfait. Think of all fresh seasonal fruits layered with creamy Ashta infused with orange blossom water then topped with nutty pistachios and a drizzle of honey or syrup. My summer nights overseas consisted of these.

Last night, we had friends over for dinner. For dessert, I assembled these fruit cocktails and it was a hit! Right away, our guests recognized this as something they enjoyed back home too which made me very happy.

These would make for such a nice treat at gatherings, parties, or even as a light dessert for any occasion. It is simple to put together and super tasty. I would love to see your take on them! Tag me at @fufuinthekitchen on Instagram!

Servings: 4

Total Time: approx. 30 min

Ashta Ingredients (Clotted Cream)

1 cup heavy cream or heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup milk of choice (I used Almond )

1 tbsp flour

2 tbsp corn starch

1 1/2 tbsp of sugar (add 2-3 tbsp instead for more sweetness)

1 tsp orange blossom water (optional)

Fruit Salad Ingredients

10 ripe strawberries cut into 4ths

10 blackberries cut in half

1 cup of diced cantaloupe

1 banana sliced

2 kiwis sliced

1 cup of seedless grapes

1 peach or nectarine diced

2 tbsp honey

1/2 a small lemon’s juice

Garnish Ingredients

1/4 cup chopped pistachios

Honey for drizzling

Instructions

In a small pot, stir together the milk, cream, sugar, flour, and corn starch until there are no lumps. Do not do this over the heat.

Once smooth, place the pot on the stovetop and start to cook this mixture on medium-high heat. Stir the entire time with a whisk until the mixture starts to form large bubbles and thickens.

Once that happens, add the orange blossom water and keep stirring. Shut off the heat once the mixture is thickened and place the ashta in a bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap. Tip* Let the plastic wrap touch the surface of the cream to prevent a layer of skin.

Place ashta in the fridge to cool and thicken more.

In the meantime, mix all the fruit salad ingredients together gently. Set aside.

In desired cups or bowls, add a layer of fruit salad first then 2 spoonfuls of cream. *I highly recommend using a spoon to mix the ashta once cooled to loosen it up slightly. Then, add another layer of fruit. Top with a spoonful of ashta, pistachios, and a drizzle of honey. *Be sure to wipe the glass with a wet paper towel as you go along for nice layers and no smudges.

Bon appetit!