Egyptian Konafa Nut Layers (Printable)

Crisp Egyptian konafa layered with spiced nuts and fragrant honey syrup, offering a rich Middle Eastern flavor.

# What You Need:

→ Konafa Base

01 - 1.1 lb kataifi (shredded phyllo dough), thawed
02 - 7 oz unsalted butter, melted

→ Nut Filling

03 - 5.3 oz walnuts, finely chopped
04 - 3.5 oz pistachios, finely chopped
05 - 1.8 oz almonds, finely chopped
06 - 4 tbsp granulated sugar
07 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 tsp ground cardamom

→ Honey Syrup

09 - 1 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1/2 cup water
11 - 2 tbsp honey
12 - 1 tsp lemon juice
13 - 1 tsp rose water or orange blossom water (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9-inch round baking pan lightly with melted butter.
02 - Loosen kataifi strands gently with fingers and divide into two equal portions. Spread half in the pan, pressing evenly, then drizzle with half of the melted butter.
03 - Combine walnuts, pistachios, almonds, sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom in a bowl. Spread this mixture evenly over the kataifi base.
04 - Cover the nut filling with remaining kataifi, press gently to flatten, and drizzle with the remaining melted butter ensuring full coverage.
05 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
06 - While baking, combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in honey, lemon juice, and optional floral water. Allow to cool slightly.
07 - Remove baked kataifi from oven and immediately pour syrup evenly over the hot pastry.
08 - Let cool 30 minutes before slicing into diamond or square shapes. Serve at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast between shatteringly crisp pastry and the spiced nut filling creates a texture that stays with you long after the last bite.
  • Once you master the technique, you can make this for a crowd without stress, since it comes together in under an hour from start to table.
02 -
  • Pouring the syrup over hot pastry is what makes this work, transforming the texture and binding all the flavors together in a way that cooling the syrup first simply cannot achieve.
  • Separating the kataifi gently at the beginning saves you from a frustrating mess later, so take those few extra seconds before you start building.
03 -
  • Keep your melted butter warm but not smoking, and use a pastry brush rather than pouring, so you can control saturation and ensure every part gets equal coverage.
  • If your kitchen is very dry, work faster with the kataifi, as the strands can crisp up before you're ready, but don't panic because a few breaks blend seamlessly once baked.
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