Ghyùlāj Bàklàwāssi

Ingredients

• 20 large eggs (whites only) egg whites (From 20 eggs. Save yolks for another use.)
• 1 pound (approximately 450 g) wheat starch (Added gradually to the batter. Available in Asian grocery stores or online. Do not substitute cornstarch without understanding it will alter the result.)
• 0 as needed water (Added to thin the batter to a consistency thinner than pancake batter — almost like water with a slight body. Add gradually until the batter flows very freely.)
• 0 as needed for sprinkling rose-water (Sprinkled between layers. Use food-grade rose-water.)
• 0 as needed for sprinkling milk (Sprinkled between layers alongside the rose-water.)
• 0 enough to cover the base layer at a quarter-inch thickness clotted cream (Spread over the lower half of the stacked crepes at approximately 6 mm (quarter-inch) thickness. May be replaced with pounded almonds or pistachios if unavailable.)
• 0 as needed for dusting powdered sugar (Shaken over the clotted cream layer.)
• 1 pound (approximately 450 g) loaf sugar (Used for the syrup. Modern equivalent is white granulated sugar or white caster sugar.)
• 2 pints (approximately 1.1 litres) water (Combined with the loaf sugar to make the syrup.)
• 0 as needed (optional alternative to clotted cream) pounded almonds or pistachios (Use only if clotted cream is unavailable. Pound or finely chop and use in place of the cream layer.)

Instructions

1. 1Crack 20 eggs and separate the whites into a large, clean mixing bowl, discarding or saving the yolks for another use. Using a hand whisk or electric hand mixer, whip the egg whites vigorously until they are very foamy and increased in volume. They do not need to reach stiff peaks — you are simply aerating them well before adding the starch.
2. 2With the whipped egg whites in the bowl, begin adding approximately 1 pound (450 g) of wheat starch a little at a time, stirring constantly after each addition so no lumps form. Once all the starch is incorporated, add water gradually, stirring as you go, until the batter becomes extremely thin — it should flow off a spoon like water with only the faintest body. This very loose consistency is essential for the crepes to be paper-thin.
3. 3The original recipe calls for a slightly domed circular sheet-iron set over a charcoal fire, with ashes cemented underneath the centre to diffuse the heat and prevent burning. For a modern kitchen, use the widest, flattest non-stick frying pan or crêpe pan you have, set over the lowest possible heat on your smallest burner. The goal is very gentle, even, low heat — the pan should be warm but not hot enough to brown the batter at all. Allow the pan to heat gently for 3 to 4 minutes before cooking the first crepe.
4. 4Once the pan is gently warm, pour a spoonful of batter into the centre — enough to spread into a round the size of a large dinner plate (roughly 28–30 cm / 11–12 inches). Tilt the pan gently or use the back of the spoon to encourage it to spread. The crepe should set in under a minute and must remain very white — do not allow it to colour or brown at all. It is done when the surface looks dry and set. Carefully lift it off with a spatula and set aside on a clean, flat surface. Repeat with the remaining batter until you have 50 to 60 crepes. Stack them loosely as you go, letting each cool slightly before stacking.
5. 5Take a suitable deep baking tin or dish (large enough to hold the crepes flat). Begin laying half of your crepes (25 to 30 sheets) into the tin one on top of the other. Between each crepe, sprinkle a small amount of rose-water and a small amount of milk — just enough to very lightly moisten each layer. Do not drench them; a light sprinkle from a spoon or your fingers is sufficient.
6. 6Spread clotted cream evenly over the top of the first stack of crepes to a depth of approximately a quarter of an inch (about 6 mm). Then shake an even layer of powdered sugar over the top of the cream. If clotted cream is unavailable, spread an even layer of pounded almonds or pistachios over the crepes instead, then dust with powdered sugar.
7. 7Place the remaining crepes (the other 25 to 30 sheets) on top of the cream layer, one at a time, again sprinkling a little rose-water and a little milk between each crepe as you lay them, exactly as you did in step 5. Finish with a final crepe on top.
8. 8Place 1 pound (450 g) of loaf sugar (or white granulated sugar) and 2 pints (approximately 1.1 litres) of water into a medium saucepan. Set over a medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil. Allow it to boil steadily, without stirring, until it thickens slightly into a light syrup — it should coat the back of a spoon lightly but still be quite fluid. This will take approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
9. 9While the syrup is still hot, pour it slowly and evenly over the assembled crepe layers until the entire surface is covered and the syrup begins to pool around the edges and soak in. Set the dish aside at room temperature and leave it completely undisturbed until it is fully cold — this will take at least 1 to 2 hours. Do not refrigerate during this resting period.
10. 10Once completely cold and the syrup has been fully absorbed, use a sharp knife to cut the dessert into diamond shapes by making a series of diagonal parallel cuts in one direction, then a series of diagonal parallel cuts in the opposite direction across the tray. Carefully lift each diamond piece with a spatula, arrange on a serving dish, and serve.