Turkish cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Bread Kadayif

Dried flatbread from Afyon, softened in sugar syrup and served with a thick layer of kaymak cream.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 1 ekmek kadayıfı (dried flatbread, approx. 300 g)
• 500 g sugar
• 1/2 lemon
• 250 g kaymak (or mascarpone as substitute)
• 80 g walnuts
• 50 g pistachios

Instructions

1. Hold the dried flatbread briefly under running water on both sides until it soaks through and becomes pliable, then lay it in a wide pan with the curved side facing up.
2. Bring the sugar, 700 ml water and the juice of half the lemon to a boil in a pot and simmer uncovered for 8 min. into a thin syrup.
3. Pour the hot syrup all around the flatbread until just covered, and let it steep uncovered over gentle heat for 15 min. without moving it.
4. Carefully turn the flatbread over with two wide spatulas and simmer for another 10 min. until it has absorbed almost all the syrup and turned glossy amber.
5. Remove the pan from the heat and let the flatbread cool in it for 20 min. so it firms up and can be cut cleanly; roughly chop the walnuts and pistachios.
6. Cut into pieces, top each piece generously with a spoonful of kaymak, sprinkle with the nuts and serve lukewarm.