Sheet Pan Knafeh with Kaymak Cream and Ground Pistachio

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Sugar Syrup

1. 1
   Bring the sugar and water to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer 8 minutes, until the sugar melts and the syrup thickens slightly.

   ⚙ SimmeringStove

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
2. 2
   Add the lemon juice and orange blossom water.

   💡The lemon keeps the sugar from crystallizing again.
3. 3
   Cool completely.

   💡Cold syrup on a hot pastry soaks in evenly.

For the Cream Filling

1. 4
   Whip the cold cream on medium speed, until it starts to thicken.

   ⚙ WhippingBowlHand mixerorStand mixer

   💡Cold cream whips quickly and holds firm: warm cream won't hold air. Stop when the peaks are firm, before it turns grainy.

   💡Whip cream very cold, in a chilled bowl with chilled beaters, and stop when it holds firm: overwhipping turns it grainy and buttery.
2. 5
   Add the mascarpone and powdered sugar and keep whipping on high speed to firm peaks.

   Hand mixerorStand mixer

For the Pastry Filling

1. 6
   In a bowl, mix the ricotta and mozzarella.

   Bowl

To assemble

1. 7
   Cover the whipped cream and chill at least 1 hour.

   Refrigerator
2. 8
   Mix the sugar into the cheese filling.
3. 9
   Break the kadaif strands into small pieces and mix with the melted butter.
4. 10
   Press half the kadaif into the bottom of 25x35 cm rectangular pan, in a dense, even layer.

   Rectangular pan
5. 11
   Spread an even layer of the cheese filling on top.
6. 12
   Cover with the rest of the kadaif and press down well so the layers stick.
7. 13
   Bake in a 190°C (375°F) oven 30–35 minutes, until the knafeh browns.

   ⚙ BakingOvenRectangular pan

   💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
8. 14
   Immediately pour the syrup over the whole surface and wait 5 minutes for it to soak in.

   💡Hot knafeh and cold syrup (or the other way around), never both hot: that way the syrup soaks in and the kadaif stays crisp.
9. 15
   Cut into squares, and each square diagonally into a triangle.

   Knife
10. 16
    Place a triangle on a plate, top with a heaping spoonful of the whipped cream, and sprinkle the pistachios over and around it.