Kadayıf – Traditional Turkish Oven-Baked Kadayıf with Pistachios

Preparation

1. 01

   Cook and cool the syrup

   Bring the sugar and water to the boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10–12 minutes, until the syrup has thickened slightly. Add the lemon juice, remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

2. 02

   Melt the butter

   Melt the butter completely in a small saucepan over low heat.

3. 03

   Coat the kadayıf in butter

   Gently loosen the kadayıf strands with your hands and place in a large bowl. Pour the melted butter evenly over the kadayıf strands and mix thoroughly with your hands until all the strands are coated in butter.

4. 04

   Fill and shape the kadayıf nests

   Flatten about 60 g of the buttered kadayıf strands in your palm, place a heaped teaspoon of chopped pistachios in the centre and roll up into a small nest (approx. 5 cm in diameter). Using the remaining ingredients, shape 7 further nests.

5. 05

   Arrange in the baking tin

   Place the kadayıf nests side by side with a little space between them in a greased round baking tin (28 cm).

6. 06

   Bake until golden-brown

   Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C conventional heat for 35 minutes, until the kadayıf is evenly golden-brown and crisp.

7. 07

   Pour over the syrup and allow to soak in

   Pour the cooled syrup over the hot kadayıf nests immediately. Allow to stand for 15 minutes so that the syrup is fully absorbed.

8. 08

   Serve with kaymak

   Arrange the kadayıf nests on plates and serve each with a dollop of kaymak.