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Middle eastern bird nest baklava
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Middle eastern bird nest baklava

Middle Eastern Bird Nest Baklava, called “Oush El-Bulbul” (عش البلبل) in Arabic, is a delicate and beautiful dessert made from crispy kataifi dough shaped into little nests and filled with sweet, rich toppings. Whether you choose nuts, cream, or chocolate, each bite is golden, crunchy, and irresistible—perfect for Eid or any special occasion!
Course Dessert
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Keyword middle eastern bird nest baklava
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 24 Mini Osmaliyi

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb of Kataifi Osmanliya shredded dough
  • 1/2 cup ghee or butter
  • Simple syrup recipe below
  • You’ll need:
  • A mini cupcake pan or shape the nests by hand and place them close together on a baking tray.
  • Fillings:
  • 1/2 cup pistachios mixed with 1 tbsp simple syrup
  • 1/2 cup cashews mixed with 1 tbsp simple syrup
  • Nutella
  • Biscoff
  • Ashta homemade or store-bought ricotta cheese mixed with canned ashta and a little honey or simple syrup
  • ⸻
  • ✨Simple Syrup✨
  • Ingredients:
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp orange blossom water
  • Instructions:
  • In a pot combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat without stirring.
  • Once it starts boiling add the lemon juice and orange blossom water. Stir gently to combine.
  • Lower the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Turn off the heat and allow the syrup to cool completely.
  • ⸻
  • ✨Homemade Ashta✨
  • Ricotta-style base milk curdle:
  • 2 liters full-fat milk
  • 1/3 cup vinegar
  • Cream mixture:
  • 1 liter full-fat milk
  • 1/3 cup sugar or sweetener
  • 6 to 7 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tsp rose water
  • 2 tsp orange blossom water

Instructions

prepare the simple syrup (Qatar)

  • You can make this ahead of time and store it in a jar.
  • In a pot, combine sugar and water.
  • Bring it to a boil without stirring.
  • Once boiling, add lemon juice and orange blossom water.
  • Stir gently, lower the heat, and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
  • Turn off the heat and allow it to cool completely.

Prepare the ashta

  • In one pot, heat full-fat milk and add vinegar once it’s warm. Stir until it curdles.
  • Let it sit for a few minutes, then strain and set aside the ricotta-like curds.
  • In another pot, combine milk, sugar, cornstarch, rose water, and orange blossom water.
  • Stir constantly over medium heat until it thicken
  • Add the curds to the thickened cream and stir until smooth.
  • Pour the mixture into a dish, cover, and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
  • Shortcut: Mix store-bought ricotta cheese with canned ashta and a little honey or syrup.

Prepare the Nut Fillings

  • In two separate bowls, mix the pistachios and cashews with a spoonful of simple syrup.
  • Stir until well coated and slightly sticky. Set aside.

Shape the Kataifi Nests, bake and fill

  • Gently loosen the kataifi dough using your fingers so it’s not clumped.
  • Mix it with melted ghee or butter until well-coated.
  • Take a small amount of dough and wrap it around your finger to form a little nest shape.
  • Place the nests in a mini cupcake pan or close together on a tray to help them keep their shape.
  • Fill some nests with the nut mixtures, and leave others empty to fill after baking.
  • Preheat your oven to 320°F (160°C).
  • Bake the nests for 25–30 minutes, or until they’re golden and crisp.
  • Once out of the oven, immediately drizzle each one with simple syrup while still warm.
  • Fill the empty nests with your choice of:Nutella, Biscoff or ashta then Garnish with chopped nuts or rose petals for decoration if desired.