Ramadan Ends With Eid al-Fitr. Try These Handmade Desserts to Celebrate the Festival of Sweets

Ramadan has been a little different for Noor Alsadi this year, as it’s the first with his wife, Amirah Rafati. The couple, who along with Noor’s sister, Deena Alsadi, run Mesa’s Princess Market & Deli, married 10 days before the Islamic holy month began.

They’ve been busy ever since, opening Princess Pita, a new fast-casual restaurant in Tempe, which they hope will bring the Mediterranean menu from their Mesa market to more customers. In Mesa, the original location also sells international grocery items and halal meats.

During the month of Ramadan, the market offers buffets three nights a week for iftar – the meal after sundown when Muslims break their daily fast – and makes labor-intensive desserts that are only served this time of year. The month of fasting culminates with a celebration on Eid al-Fitr, which begins on Friday, April 21.

Also called the “festival of breaking fast” or the “festival of sweets,” Eid marks the conclusion of the spiritual month, says Islamic Community Center of Phoenix President Usama Shami.

“Everything begins with a prayer, even the celebration starts with a prayer,” Shami says, noting that the mosque will attract about 4,000 people for the three Eid prayers that will be held starting at 7:30 a.m. on Friday. Following that, people often go out to eat or to visit family, and share sweets to mark the occasion.

“Sweets have always been part of Eid celebration,” Shami says. “Being deprived of a lot of food during Ramadan, people probably always think about any food, and sweets give a lot of energy.”

Noor and Rafati echoed that sentiment, noting that after fasting, sweets can be something to look forward to.

“We really bring out all the cookies and the sweets and desserts during (this) time of year,” Rafati says.

Desserts eaten to celebrate Eid can vary. Restaurants and markets throughout the Valley have been prepping desserts during the month of Ramadan and to gear up for the final celebration.

Tempe restaurant Haji-Baba will make extra trays of baklava and give out candy, while Phoenix’s Hana House will build a sweets display to celebrate Eid.

At Princess Market, the owners make desserts from passed-down family recipes. Here are three to try.

Maamoul

This shortbread cookie is made from semolina flour, stuffed with date paste or nuts, and topped with powdered sugar.

Maamoul cookies are used to greet guests, Shami says. Most people make them the night before Eid.

“At the end of Ramadan and the end of our fasting, that’s how we celebrate,” Rafati says.

Noor says his family will eat a cookie on the morning of Eid, instead of the traditional date or water used to break the fast during the rest of the month of Ramadan.

Atayef

This empanada-like dessert starts with a semolina-based, thin batter, which Deena cooks on a flat top. She then stuffs the pancake-like shell with sweet cheese or walnuts. After the edges are pinched to enclose the fillings, the atayef is deep-fried and then covered in syrup, served with a sprinkling of pistachios on top.

While Deena works with precision, making about 120 a day during Ramadan, Noor notes it’s a challenging dessert to make. The market often receives calls from people asking to purchase the pancakes premade. While that’s not on offer, people can preorder the finished dessert. The atayef are also part of the iftar buffets, and draw a dedicated crowd, the owners say.

“The atayef is definitely our most popular Ramadan sweet,” Rafati says.

Kunafeh

A layered dessert, kunafeh is made of sweet, stretchy cheese and shredded phyllo that is dyed red. Some eat the Middle Eastern dessert year-round, but Princess Market saves it for the month of Ramadan.

While the ingredients are simple, Noor says the layering technique and the blend of cheeses – theirs is a family secret – is what makes it a standout.

“That combination of cheeses will give a stretch to it,” he says. “That’s where most of the secret lies, is in the mix of cheese. No two people make it the same.”

In addition to these desserts, Princess Market also bakes desserts year-round including baklava stuffed with walnuts, pistachios, or cashews, and namura, a coconut semolina cake.

Thinking about this season of Ramadan, which has brought many new things for him and his family, Noor says, “Ramadan just makes you thankful for everything. It makes you realize every morsel of food, every drop of water, is a gift.”

Princess Market and Deli

2620 West Broadway Road, Mesa 480-894-1499 princessmarket.com