Homemade Greek Ekmek Kataifi With ground Nuts

Prep Time: 20 minutes    

Cook Time: 1 hour & 10 minutes
Refrigerate Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 9 hours & 30 minutes
Servings: 15 pieces

Greek Ekmek Kataifi is an absolutely delightful dessert that features layers of crispy, syrup-soaked Kataifi pastry, all topped off with a rich pastry cream, fluffy whipped cream, a sprinkle of ground nuts like walnuts, almonds, or pistachios, and a dash of ground cinnamon. Trust me, this recipe for Ekmek Kataifi is truly one of the best you'll ever come across!😋

Ingredients:

For The Syrup:

• 400 grams of sugar
• 400 ml of water
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 stick of cinnamon

For The Kataifi Base:

• 350 grams Kataifi dough thaw in the fridge overnight
• 180 grams of butter melted
• 60 grams of almonds, finely chopped
• ⅔ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For The Pastry Cream:

• 900 ml milk
• 200 ml heavy cream
• 150 grams of sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 large eggs
• 100 grams of corn starch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For The Whipped Cream:

• 550 grams heavy whipping cream
• 6 tablespoons sugar

For Decorating On Top:

• 60 grams walnuts, pistachios, or almonds, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Make The Syrup:

1. Add all of the ingredients for the syrup to a saucepan or small cooking pot. Bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Boil the syrup for 6 minutes (counting time from the moment it boils and bubbles hard), do not stir!
3. Set aside to cool.

Make The Kataifi Base:

1. Preheat oven to 170°C / 340°F.
2. Mix the 60 grams of chopped almonds with the ⅔ teaspoon of cinnamon and set aside.
3. Add the Kataifi dough to a 9 x x13-inchh pan (33 x 23 cm). Start to pull apart the shreds to separate them from each other and fluff them. Make sure there are no lumps left.
4. Drizzle with melted butter on top. Fluff the kataifi for the butter to spread evenly.
5. Sprinkle the almonds and cinnamon on top. Fluff the kataifi once more for the almonds to submerge and spread evenly (if they stay on the surface, they will burn while the pastry bakes).
6. Bake the Kataifi pastry for 50 minutes to 1 hour until honey-colored on top and crispy.
7. Ladle the syrup on the baked pastry right as you get it out of the oven.
8. Allow to cool down to room temperature and absorb the syrup.

Make The Pastry Cream:

1. Heat milk, sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract in a small cooking pot or large saucepan over medium-low heat until steamingly hot.
2. Whisk together the egg yolks, eggs, and cornstarch inside a medium-sized bowl.
3. Pour the hot milk mixture into the eggs while constantly stirring the eggs vigorously with a whisk.
4. Transfer all of the milk mixture into the eggs. Then transfer everything back to the cooking pot.
5. Cook the cream, stirring almost constantly with a whisk, until it thickens.
6. Spread the cream over the Kataifi pastry and smooth the surface with a spoon.
7. Allow to cool down to room temperature.

Make The Whipped Cream:

1. Add the whipped cream to a large mixing bowl or your stand mixer's bowl and begin beating with the whisk attachment at medium speed.
2. Add the sugar in one tablespoon at a time and gradually increase the speed to high.
3. Beat until stiff peaks form, and the traces of the whisk stay on the surface cream.
4. Spread over the custard. Smooth the surface with a spoon, and then you may decorate, creating lines with a fork as shown in the pictures in the post above.
5. Sprinkle the walnuts (or nuts of your preference) on top and the 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
6. Refrigerate for 8 hours.
7. Cut and serve into 12 or 15 square pieces.

Tips & Notes:

• The syrup needs to be cooled when added to the Kataifi pastry; therefore, you must make it first and allow it to cool down to room temperature.
• As the Kataifi bakes, it will shrink a bit, leaving some space all around the sides. After you put syrup on it, you can press it gently to spread and open up and cover those spaces.
• The hot milk is added to the eggs to gradually increase their temperature. If you add it to quick eggs will curdle. So begin slowly with small drops and continue threadlike, increasing the speed as you go.
• When making whipped cream, both the bowl and the cream need to be cold. The cream should be cold from the fridge (try not to store it at the door of the fridge since the temperature is a bit lower there). Also, place the bowl you're planning to beat the cream in the fridge for 1 hour before using it for best results!
• Making ahead: You can make this easy dessert even easier by planning ahead. Make the syrup or bake the kataifi pastry the day before. If you have made the kataifi the day before and it is at room temperature, pour hot syrup over it. You will need to allow for at least 2 hours for the kataifi dough to set before you pour the custard over it.
• You can make the custard, place a pan, chill it, and make the whipped topping the next day. This dessert keeps well for several days.
• Storing: Ekmek dessert will keep nicely in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can't freeze this dessert because the texture of the cream will be ruined.

Nutrition:

Calories: 598kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 241mg | Potassium: 209mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 1243IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 1mg