Burma Kadayıf

Burma Kadayıf (Twisted Walnut Kadayıf)

A signature Turkish pastry from Bursa: long strands of shredded kadayıf dough are twisted around a walnut-sugar-cinnamon filling, coiled into a tray, baked with clarified butter, and finished with a cold lemon syrup. The result is a crisp, caramelized rope of pastry with a crunchy nut core.

Prep

40 min

Cook

45 min

Total

85 min

Serves

8 to 10

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1.1 lb) fresh kadayıf (telya) dough, telya (uncooked) kadayıf, not the toasted/fried kind; keep covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying
• •250 g (9 oz) walnuts, roughly chopped, or 200 g (7 oz) pistachios for a Gaziantep-style filling
• •120 g (½ cup) granulated sugar (for the filling)
• •2 g (1 tsp) ground cinnamon, plus extra for dusting
• •200 g (¾ cup) clarified butter or ghee, melted; traditional recipes use sade yağ (clarified butter)
• •40 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted with the clarified butter to keep it workable
• •500 g (2½ cups) granulated sugar (for the syrup)
• •350 ml (1½ cups) water (for the syrup)
• •10 ml (2 tsp) fresh lemon juice, added off the heat; acid prevents the syrup from crystallizing

Steps

1. 1 Make the syrup first so it can cool completely: combine 500 g sugar and 350 ml water in a saucepan, bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, and simmer 8 to 10 minutes until the sugar is fully dissolved and the syrup lightly coats a spoon. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice. Set aside to cool to room temperature; cold syrup on hot pastry is what gives kadayıf its crisp crust.
2. 2 Make the filling: mix 250 g chopped walnuts, 120 g sugar, and 2 g cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.
3. 3 Prepare a 25 x 35 cm (10 x 14 in) rectangular baking dish or tray by brushing the base and sides with about 20 g of the melted clarified butter.
4. 4 Work with the kadayıf in small batches so it stays moist. Pull off a portion about the size of a small lemon (roughly 30 to 35 g / about 1¼ oz). Gently tease the strands apart with your fingertips to loosen them, then stretch the portion into a thin, even rectangle about 15 cm long (6 in) on a clean work surface. Keep the rest covered with a damp kitchen towel.
5. 5 Place about 1 tablespoon of the walnut filling in a line down the center of the rectangle. Fold the two long sides of the kadayıf over the filling, then roll it up loosely into a thin rope.
6. 6 Twist the rope by holding both ends and turning it in opposite directions so it winds into a tight spiral, about the thickness of a finger (1.5 to 2 cm / 0.6 to 0.8 in). Gently coil the twisted rope into a snail shape and place it in the prepared tray, starting from one corner. Repeat with the remaining kadayıf and filling, packing the coils snugly so they fill the tray in a single, even layer.
7. 7 Using a sharp knife, score the whole surface of the packed kadayıf into diamond or rectangular portions (about 4 x 6 cm / 1½ x 2½ in), cutting all the way through to the base. This makes it possible to slice cleanly after baking.
8. 8 Drizzle 200 g melted clarified butter mixed with 40 g melted unsalted butter slowly and evenly over the entire surface, making sure every strand is coated. Let stand 10 minutes so the butter soaks in.
9. 9 Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C (350 °F) for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top and edges are deep golden brown and crisp. Internal temperature in the center should read at least 90 °C (195 °F).
10. 10 Remove the tray from the oven and immediately, while the kadayıf is piping hot, pour the cold syrup evenly over the whole surface. Expect a loud sizzle; this thermal shock is what sets the crust. Reserve about 60 ml (¼ cup) of syrup for serving.
11. 11 Let the kadayıf rest at room temperature for at least 3 to 4 hours, ideally overnight, so the syrup is fully absorbed and the pastry sets. Do not cover it, or the crust will soften.
12. 12 Re-cut along the scored lines and transfer to plates. Serve at room temperature with Turkish tea, strong coffee, or a scoop of Maraş ice cream, and pass the remaining syrup alongside.