Ashta, also known as kashta or qashta, is a variety of clotted cream mostly associated with Arab and Levantine countries. Traditionally, it is made with lightly sweetened full-fat milk and lemon juice which are slowly simmered until thick, often with the addition of orange blossom and rose water.
Modern variations sometimes avoid the lengthy procedure and thicken the milk with cornstarch or crumbled bread. Although ashta can be enjoyed as a dessert on its own, often accompanied by fruit, honey, or nuts, it is also commonly incorporated into various Middle Eastern treats such as
kunāfah or
qatayef.