Greek Ekmek Kataifi

Ekmek Kataifi is a luscious, Greek dessert with shredded phyllo dough drenched in syrup that's topped with custard and then whipped cream!

This is a wonderful, decadent dessert that you can easily make at home!
I usually make it during special holidays or celebrations because it’s one of my most requested desserts!

If you like Baklava or Galaktoboureko, you'll love this dessert!
For this particular recipe, I’ll show you how to make it 2 ways: both in a baking dish and in individual dessert glasses!

Love Greek desserts? Try my Baklava Triangles, my Ladokouloura Greek Olive Oil Cookies, or my Rizogalo Greek Rice Pudding!

WHAT IS EKMEK KATAIFI?

Did you know that this dessert has its origins in Turkey?

The word “ekmek” means bread in Turkish. In Turkey, “Ekmek Kadayifi” is a sweet dessert where bread is soaked in syrup and topped with clotted cream and nuts.

Although the name of this kataifi custard recipe is similar, the Greek version is a different dessert.

Greek Ekmek Kataifi consists of a syrupy shredded phyllo dough base topped with a creamy custard/pastry cream and then whipped cream and nuts, usually pistachios.

WHAT MAKES THIS EKMEK KATAIFI STAND OUT

• This recipe has just the right amount of syrup; not too much to make it too sweet, and not too little to make the base dry.
• Moreover, each layer has the perfect thickness, so you have the right amount of each!
• Most recipes include tempering the eggs. My recipe, though, has an easy hack for the custard/pastry cream so you DON’T have to temper the eggs, which saves a lot of time and makes it practically impossible to get wrong!

Why this recipe works

• This recipe does involve a lot of steps, but trust me, if you read the post to the end, you’ll see that they're not complicated!
• You can easily make it in individual cups or glasses for a dinner party or special gathering. Or just serve it in a large baking dish for a big get-together.

What does Greek Ekmek Kataifi taste like?

This dessert is similar to baklava and kataifi, but not as nutty or sweet. The syrupy kataifi base is amazing with the vanilla custard and the whipped cream. It's definitely a unique flavor combination.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE EKMEK KATAIFI

Sugar: I use regular, granulated sugar for the syrup and the custard, and powdered sugar for the whipped cream.
Honey: If you can, get Greek honey. It’s phenomenal! It will make the dessert taste so much better!
Lemon Juice & Peel: You only need ½ a lemon.
Cinnamon: You just need 1 cinnamon stick for the syrup and some ground cinnamon to dust the dessert.

Shredded Phyllo/Filo Dough: I use a pound (450g) for this recipe. You need to thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.

Walnuts: I use some chopped walnuts that I mix with the dough in the base. They get toasted and create an incredible flavor with the rest of the base!

Heavy Cream: I always use heavy whipping cream to make whipped cream.
Vanilla: I use good quality vanilla extract.
Pistachios: The nuts are totally optional. You don’t have to use them for this dessert, but because they’re a bit salty, they pair well with the custard and cream. Of course, you can use other nuts, instead.

Egg Yolks: I often get free-range eggs because I think they taste better.
Milk: I use whole milk for this recipe.
Cornstarch: I only use some cornstarch to thicken the cream. I don't use flour because I find that cornstarch thickens the custard better.
Butter: I like unsalted butter for the shredded phyllo dough.
Ground Mastic Gum (Optional): There's just a tiny amount of ground mastic gum for a more traditional Greek flavor. If you can’t find it, no problem! You can still make this dessert without it!
Salt: I use a pinch to enhance all the flavors.

What is mastic gum?

Mastic gum, or Mastiha as it’s called in Greece, is a resin from mastic trees that are only found in Greece on the island of Chios. It was first harvested by the ancient Greeks over 2,000 years ago.

Nowadays, it is used in a lot of Greek desserts and it’s especially popular in Tsoureki, Greek Easter bread. Ekmek Kataifi in Greece is popular with mastic gum! You can find it online or in Greek stores and Greek markets.

TOP TIP
If you can't get mastic gum, you can still make Ekmek Kataifi! It will taste just as incredible, even without it!

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

This recipe is divided into 5 parts: the syrup, the base, the custard/pastry cream, the whipped cream, and assembling the dessert.

Part 1 - Make the syrup

This is probably the easiest of all the steps! Just put the water, sugar, cinnamon stick, lemon juice and peel in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

After that, let it boil for 4-5 minutes. Then take it off the heat and stir in the honey. Set it aside to cool.

TOP TIP
The lemon juice is important because it prevents the syrup from crystallizing!

Part 2 - Make the base

STEP 1
First, butter your pan really well. I like to use the biggest sheet pan I have because it makes assembling the dessert a lot easier. My pan is about 14 x 12 inches (37 X 31cm).

STEPS 2-5
Now it’s time to detangle the shredded phyllo dough. It really isn’t difficult, you just have to remember to work quickly because it can dry out really fast.

Start by separating the thawed phyllo dough. You need to pull apart all the strands without tearing the dough, so that there aren’t any knots.
You should end up with a big, fluffy pile (see picture 5).

STEP 6
After that, mix the ground cinnamon with the nuts in a small bowl.

STEP7
Evenly spread half of the detangled phyllo dough on your prepared pan. Then sprinkle with the nut mixture.

STEP 8
Then, pour half of the melted butter on top.

STEP 9
Spread the remaining phyllo dough and add the remaining melted butter. Use your hands to toss everything together so that the shredded dough is coated with the melted butter as much as possible.

Make sure there aren’t any empty spaces. If there are, just use your fingers to push the shredded dough to fill them in. Don’t press down on the dough.

STEP10
Finally, bake the base until it has a nice golden brown color as shown (picture 10).

STEP 11
Immediately pour the cooled honey syrup all over the base. It will sizzle! This is completely normal!

It will look like it’s too much syrup, but trust me, it isn’t! It will mostly be absorbed.

STEP 12
Carefully tilt the pan left and right so that the syrup goes all over the base. Wear gloves if your pan is still hot!

Part 3 - Make the custard/pastry cream

STEP 1
Put all the ingredients except for the butter in a blender. If you don’t have a blender, use a food processor.

STEP 2
Then, blend everything for about a minute.

TOP TIP
Using a blender (or food processor) before heating the egg mixture ensures that there won’t be any lumps in the custard. Also, with this method, there is no need to temper the eggs!

STEP 3
After that, pour the egg mixture into a saucepan and cook over medium heat. Gradually bring to a boil, whisking continuously until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Don’t stop whisking as it can quickly burn. Once thickened, take it off the heat and whisk in the butter.

STEP 4
Then, pour the hot custard in a large, shallow sheet pan and cover immediately with plastic wrap.

TOP TIP
Spreading the custard in a large pan will help it cool much faster than in a bowl. Mine took a little over an hour to cool.

Part 4 - Make the whipped cream

TOP TIP
I always put a metal bowl in the freezer for about 10 minutes before I start whipping the cream. This helps it whip faster.

Put everything in the bowl and whip until it thickens and forms peaks, about 5 minutes.

Part 5 - Assemble the dessert

This is the fun part! The same steps apply for individual dessert glasses, too!

For this recipe, I put half of everything into a small dish (I used a 9 x 6.5 inch (23 x 16.5 cm) pan) and the rest in 6 large dessert glasses.

STEP 1
First, add a layer of the syrupy kataifi base to the bottom of a pan and even it out.

STEP 2
Then, spread an even layer of the custard on top.

STEP 3
After that, spread the whipped cream on top. For the individual dessert glasses, I used a Wilton 1M piping tip and swirled it on the custard.

In Greece, it’s common to see lines across the top of the whipped cream. You can use a fork or a small cake scraper to make the lines, if you want.

STEP 4
Finally, add the chopped pistachios and then dust with cinnamon.

Then refrigerate about 2 hours before serving, to give it time to set and make it easier to cut.

Storage Tips
Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to about 5 days.

VARIATIONS

• Lots of Greek desserts use rose water, but I’m not much of a fan as it’s quite strong. If you like it, though, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of food grade rose water to the syrup for a floral flavor.
• In Greece, you can find kataifi ice cream! It has the syrupy base like this recipe, but instead of the custard and cream, it's topped with vanilla ice cream!
• Ekmek tsoureki is also popular! Instead of shredded phyllo dough, there's Tsoureki and syrup for the base! This might be an idea for a future post (let me know what you think)!
• Use almonds instead of pistachios, or skip the nuts altogether!

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

• If using ground mastic gum (mastiha), don't use more than what's stated in the recipe because it will make the custard bitter.
• I’ve made this dessert by spreading the hot custard directly onto the kataifi base, however, I found that it made the base a bit mushy and too soft, which I don’t like. I found it much better to cool the custard in its own pan and then spread it on top of the base.
• You can save some time by making the syrup a day ahead and keeping it in the fridge!
• Instead of a pan or dessert glasses, you could use a pastry ring to cut out the base and make it into a round cake!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Happy Baking! 😀

~Voula

MORE GREEK RECIPES TO TRY!

Let me know how this Ekmek Kataifi turns out for you in the comments below! I’d love to hear from you!