Cinnamon & orange blossom kataifi rolls

Ingredients

• 500 g kataifi pastry
• 250 g salted butter, melted

For the filling:

• 240 g ground nuts
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
• 60 g granulated sugar

For the syrup:

• 400 g sugar
• 360 ml water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons orange blossom water

Preparation

• Combine all of the ingredients for the filling and set aside. On a large, clean surface separate the kataifi pastry carefully until it is as thin as it will go without having large gaps in it. Make sure the strands are left whole.
• Cut the pastry into 6X10inch rectangles and working quickly on the longest edge, butter the pastry all over with a pastry brush.
• Then place 2-3 tablespoons of the filling in a horizontal line across the pastry an inch from the bottom.
• Carefully and tightly roll the long edge of the pastry from the bottom, making sure the filling doesn't fall out.
• Place in a buttered baking tray and brush the top all over with more butter. Repeat the above process for the rest of the pastry.
• Tightly pack each roll into the baking tray, one next to the other. Bake the kataifi at 140 degress Celsius for around an hour.
• If you find it is burning then brush on more butter and bake at a lower temperature for longer. Meanwhile, combine the sugar and water in a pan and bring to the boil.
• Continue to boil on a moderate heat until the syrup is of a one-string consistency (the soft ball stage on a sugar thermometer). Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and orange blossom water. Carefully swirl in the pan and set aside.
• Once the kataifi is golden brown all over, remove from the heat and gently ladle on the warm sugar syrup.
• Cover the tray with a piece of foil and allow to rest and absorb for a minimum of 8-12 hours, although 24 hours would be ideal.
• When rested and cooled, cut the pastry logs into 1 inch pieces and place on greaseproof paper. Serve with Arabic coffee (qawah) or espresso.

Questions

Photos of members who cooked this recipe