It’s a complicated name and a lengthy title and description for a new type of dessert that you may wish to attempt for this year’s Epiphany (January 6th) in order to replace the more traditional king’s cake or the brioche and/or galette des rois, because it’s luminous and festive and creamy and crunchy too !
It’s a 3-step dessert.
You’ll need the creamy filling, that is thickened with semolina (the extra-fine texture preferably) and just a little butter and a few eggs, but not too much, because it’s more like a milk pie or a semolina pudding and not a genuine egg-yolk custard.
Of course, the crust is necessary, bottom, sides and top, but the regular layers of filo sheets used for this dessert, are replaced with shredded filo, called “kataifi” or “kadayif” or “kadaif” that is a shredded or more precisely an angel hair or thin noodle version of filo dough. Melted butter will be used to humidify the strands, as well as a quick spray of water, if you remember, right before baking it.
And the syrup, flavored with cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves (which I love) and citrus peels, will be used to soak the crispy crust, after it’s baked and dried out. And remember, hot pie or cake needs cold syrup for soaking, or vice versa, just like with baklava, otherwise the result will be mushy.
And there you go ! A bright, zesty and lightly spiced milky dessert filling, wrapped in a crispy and syrup-soaked filo filament crust.
Happy Epiphany festivities to all … :)
p.s.: two weeks after this publication, I mustered up the courage to try my hand at mini or individual versions of this delicious dessert, so I've added the photo !
