Here’s a copy cat recipe for the delicious B Laban Koshary which you can try at home. It is perfect to make and serve during any of your upcoming gatherings or potluck parties. You’ll leave your guests amazed with this dessert.
B Laban is a famous dessert spot from Egypt that went completely viral in Saudi Arabia. B.Laban opened its doors in the UAE in the beginning of 2024. The residents here went crazy and even now, there are queues all the time, outside the outlet.
I myself visited them plenty of times already and tried majority of the menu items. Their desserts are simple, yet have a unique factor to it and their affordable price range is what I believe really helped make it a hype.
From the first time I tried their sweet twist to the usual Egyptian Koshari, I was really impressed. I knew I had to try and replicate it at home.
This copy-cat B-Laban Koshary is made with the following layers in order:
- A thin layer of rice pudding at the bottom.
- Roasted Kunafa, which is basically shredded kunafa dough that is mixed with butter/ghee and roasted either in an oven or on a frying pan until it is golden brown.
- Plain Thick cream or fresh cream– I like using Puck or Almarai which are common brands here in the UAE.
- Phyllo/Baklava sheets that are initially spread with a thin layer of butter/ghee, then baked until golden brown. These sheets are then crumbled into smaller flaky bits.
- Toppings like melted Biscoff spread, Pistachios and Pistachio topping, Nutella spread, Mango pieces etc.
How many people does this recipe serve?
This recipe is a large batch recipe and can serve atleast 20 people. I feel it is a good recipe for occasions like Ramadan and Eid or really at any time of the year. It looks great and it tastes great.
I liked serving it in glass dishes, simply because I felt the layers looked pretty but you can use any dessert bowls or serving trays of your choice. You can make 2 or 3 large dishes with this recipe. If you don’t want a large batch feel free to cut this recipe into half.
Alternatively, you can also make this dessert in individual serving bowls. This can be quite pretty and less of a hassle when serving. It’s really upto your preference, I think it looks amazing in both.
More Kunafa recipes you can try- Classic Cheese Kunafa, Gulab Jamun in Kunafa Nests and Chocolate Grill-O-Nafa
When I first made it, my family tried it out, the reactions I got was crazy. All of them loved it and thought it tastes very much similar to the original dish at B.Laban. They really kept digging until it was over in literally minutes.
I had to make it again and I shared it on Instagram via a recipe reel . Highly recommend checking it out if you like a video tutorial of how you can make this B Laban Koshary recipe yourself. I got some amazing feedback from my Instagram followers and the recipe went viral.
It was then established that this recipe needs it’s own little space on my blog. This way, it’s a little easier for you to refer to whenever you plan on making it, and I have shared a lot more details and tips here as well. Hope you enjoy!
RECIPE for B.Laban Koshary:
B Laban Koshary Copy-cat recipe
Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy2-3
large serving dishes30
minutes25
minutes55
minutesIngredients
1 (500gm) packet Kunafa Dough
Phyllo/Baklava sheets (6-10 sheets approx.)
1 1/2 cup melted butter or ghee
1 Ltr Fresh/Thick cream, or as needed
- For the Rice Pudding
1/2 cup or 100gms Egyptian rice*
2 cups water
Pinch of salt or to taste
3 cups whole milk, full fat
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tsp vanilla extract
Cornflour slurry (2 Tbsp cornflour + 1/4 cup water)
Toppings of choice: Melted Biscoff Spread, Pistachio Topping, Nutella, Mango, Strawberry etc.
Directions
- Roast the Kunafa Dough until golden Brown
- In a large food processor, add in your Kunafa dough and pulse until the Kunafa threads are about an inch in size. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and pour in 1 cup melted butter. Using your hands, rub the butter evenly over all the Kunafa dough.
- Roast the Kunafa either on a large pot on a stove or layer it in one or two large baking pans and then put it in a pre-heated oven at 180°C/350°F. If roasting on a stove, keep stirring it continuously on a medium-high flame until it all turns golden brown. If using an oven, remove it every 7 minutes and mix it around so that it is all evenly roasted. Once done, let it cool completely.
- Bake the Phyllo/Baklava Sheets until golden brown
- On a baking tray, add a phyllo/baklava sheet, coat it lightly with melted butter using a pastry brush. Repeat this with 2 more layers of phyllo pastry sheets on top. Transfer tray into a pre-heated 180°C/350°F oven. Place it on the middle rack and let it bake for about 6-10minutes or until golden brown. Repeat with the rest of the Baklava sheets.
- Transfer the baked sheets into a large bowl. Once it is cooled, you can carefully crumble it up into tiny pieces using either your hands or maybe a large spoon.
- Prepare Rice Pudding
- In a pot on medium flame, add the rice, water and salt. Cover and let it simmer and cook completely until all the water is absorbed.
- Add in milk, heavy cream, sugar and vanilla extract and stir at intervals to ensure it is all mixed through and there isn’t any rice sticking at the bottom. After 5 minutes, add in the cornflour slurry and keep stirring continuously for about another 5mins or until it thickens. Remove from heat and let it cool, it is going to thicken a lot more as it cools.
- Layer into your choice of dish
- Decide the serving dish/bowls of your preference and prepare the B.Laban-inspired Koshari in it. Start with a layer of rice pudding, followed by Kunafa, then the fresh/thick cream and finally the pieces of crumbled baklava sheets. I personally like to cover and refrigerate it until it is time to serve but you can have it right away, Don’t forget to top it up with your favourite toppings before you indulge.
Notes
- If you can’t find Egyptian rice, you can try Calrose rice or any variety of short/medium grain rice that is more in the starchy side and will become soft.
- The amount of Kunafa dough, Phyllo pastry sheets and fresh cream that you use depends mainly on the size of your dishes and you can add more or less based on your preference.
