Ekmek

When my sister finds kataifi in her local supermarket and asks me to make something with it, I recollect a delicious Greek dessert I had eaten just a while ago. A light and ethereal concoction of crisp kataifi, creamy custard and lightly whipped cream, the dessert was demolished by eager spoonfuls! That taste and texture stayed with me.  So I have to share this treasure with her!

I find a recipe online and adapt it to my liking. Frozen kataifi is defrosted, baked till golden brown and drenched with a sugar syrup flavored with honey and lemon juice. A custard covers the pastry. Finish the dessert with a topping of whipped cream. As always, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so dried rose petals and pistachios make an eye pleasing overlay!

EKMEK

Adapted from Pastry Wishes

Serves 4-6

Base

1 pound Kataifi, thawed and at room temperature.

1 teaspoon Cinnamon powder

6 oz Butter, melted

1/2 cup Walnut pieces

Softened Butter

Syrup

2 1/2 cups Sugar

1 1/2 cups Water

1/2 cup Honey

 3 strips of peel and juice of 1/2 Lemon

1 Cinnamon stick

Custard

2 cups whole or 2% Milk

1/2 cup Sugar

1/4 cup Cornstarch

3 Egg Yolks

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Pinch of Salt

1 tablespoon Butter

Whipped Cream

2 cups heavy Cream

1/2 cup Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Garnish

Chopped Pistachios

Dried Rose Petals

Start by making the base. 

Heat oven to 350F/180C.

Use the softened butter to coat a large baking sheet. 

Detangle the thawed kataifi by gently pulling it apart. Arrange the pastry loosely on buttered baking sheet.

Dust with cinnamon powder.

Spread walnut pieces all over the pastry. 

Pour the melted butter over pastry and toss lightly with your hands so the pastry is well coated. Make sure the pastry covers the entire sheet.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, till pastry is golden brown. 

 While the base browns, make the syrup. 

Combine sugar, water, honey, lemon peels, juice and cinnamon stick in a saucepan. 

Place over medium heat and boil for 4-5 minutes. Remove peel and keep aside. 

When the kataifi is golden brown, remove from the oven. 

Pour the syrup over the all the pastry. It will sizzle and splutter and look like too much syrup. Go ahead and finish all the syrup.

Keep aside to cool. 

Make the custard by mixing milk, sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, vanilla and salt till smooth in a blender.

Pour into a saucepan and cook over medium heat whisking continuously till thick.

Take it off the heat and add butter to custard. 

Cool custard. 

Cover the entire surface of the custard with plastic wrap. This is to prevent a skin from forming on the surface. 

Cool custard for 1 hour. 

Before you assemble the ekmek, whip cream till soft peaks form. Add sugar and and vanilla and beat till stiff peaks form. 

Assemble the dessert in a 9x13 inch serving dish. The dish should be at least 2-3  inches deep.

Crumble the kaitafi onto the bottom of the dish. Cover the entire surface. 

Spread the custard over the kataifi. Smooth it out to the edges. 

Spread whipped cream over the custard. 

Top with chopped pistachios and rose petals.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. 

Enjoy!

My sister loves the dessert. So do her guests. And my love for ekmek is shared with family!

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