These delicious Kataifi Cups are perfect for spring. I purposely made them to look like little nests with a jewel-like egg in the middle for Easter! Kataifi is a shredded phyllo that’s frequently used in Greek cuisine. In this episode I’m using my favorite 776 brand phyllo because it tastes incredible and is very easy to work with.
To shape the nests neatly I start off with a muffin tin and twist the phyllo into each one. I’m generous with the phyllo because I want them to be thick enough to hold the custard filling without it seeping through. I bake them in the oven until they are nice and golden brown and hold their shape. You should be able to extract them from the muffin tins easily so they can cool.
To make the custard I use instant pudding mix because it’s much easier and still tastes wonderful. There are times when making homemade custard makes sense, but in this case, the instant vanilla pudding is perfect.
To top the custard, I add dollops of bright, fruit jelly on top of each one to look like little eggs in a nest. I use the assortment of 776 Jellies I always have on hand, but you could use whatever you have in your cabinet. I like to serve these on a dessert tray so everyone can eat them by hand. They’re the perfect bite-size dessert.
I hope you enjoy this cute idea for an Easter dessert this season. Be sure to play with the flavors if you feel inspired, chocolate or lemon pudding would taste wonderful. Or, instead of jelly on top you could add little chocolate eggs. That would look adorable. Have fun making these for your family and friends. Be sure to leave a comment if you have questions and I’ll be sure to reply. Enjoy!
Kataifi Cups
These are lovely cups made using the special phyllo known as Kataifi. It’s shredded phyllo that can be shaped into whatever you want it to be. In this case we make it into little nests that are topped with vanilla pudding and a dollop of jam.
12 cups – one cupcake holder
1 stick unsalted butter – melted
776 Kataifi Phyllo
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
1 cinnamon stick
Lemon Peel
1 box instant vanilla pudding
2 cups of Heavy Cream
Fruit Jam for garnish
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Brush some of the melted butter into the cups of the cupcake tin.
Unwrap your phyllo and take a pinch that’s about 6-inch long and two fingers thick. Wrap the rope around your fingers to make a nest shape and tuck it into a cupcake tin. Repeat with remaining tins. Brush the nests with the remaining butter. Bake them for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
Make the simple syrup by combining the sugar, water, cinnamon, and lemon peel in a small pan on a stovetop. Bring it to a boil and stir it well until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool.
In a large bowl, combine the pudding mix and heavy cream and use a hand electric mixer to beat it until it’s thick and holds stiff peaks.
Transfer the pudding to a piping bag with a regular tip, and pipe it into the cooled Kataifi cups, filling each cup about two-thirds full.
Top each cup with a dollop of fruit jam of your choice.
Serve the Kataifi cups immediately or store them in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Enjoy
Nikki Glekas is the owner of Nikki Glekas Events, a full-service catering and events company located in Stamford, CT.. To discuss further please contact team@nikkiglekascollective.com or call 203.658.8659.