Middle Eastern Cuisine
Crispy Bird's Nest Kunafa with Vanilla Cream Filling
Prep
30 min
Cook
30 min
Servings
6
Level
Medium
Kunafa Bulbul Nest is a Middle Eastern treat shaped like tiny nests made from strands of kataifi fried to a crisp golden brown, then filled with soft vanilla cream and sprinkled with chopped nuts. The combination of a crunchy exterior and soft interior will have anyone hooked from the very first bite. It's perfect as a special dessert for a special occasion, or simply as a companion for an afternoon coffee.
🧂 Ingredients
🍽️ Servings: 6
Adjust the servings and the ingredient amounts & nutrition below update automatically.
- 250 grams kataifi (kunafa shredded phyllo)
- 120 grams unsalted butter, melted
- 500 ml full-cream milk
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 80 grams granulated sugar
- 100 ml heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 150 ml water
- 150 grams granulated sugar, for syrup
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 50 grams chopped pistachios
- 1 tsp dried rose petals (optional, for garnish)
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👩🍳 Instructions
- 1 Make the syrup first: cook the water and sugar for the syrup over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon juice and cook for about 5-7 minutes until it thickens slightly into a thin syrup. Remove from heat and let cool.
- 2 Shred the kataifi until fine and separated, then place it in a large bowl. Pour in the melted butter and mix well with your hands, gently squeezing so the butter coats every strand of kataifi evenly.
- 3 Take a handful of the butter-coated kataifi and shape it into a circle like a bird's nest, with a hollow in the center. Repeat until all the mixture is used up, placing each nest on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- 4 Bake the kunafa nests in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Turn them occasionally so they brown evenly.
- 5 While baking, make the cream filling: dissolve the cornstarch in a little of the milk and set aside. Cook the remaining milk and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until warm.
- 6 Pour the cornstarch mixture into the hot milk, stirring quickly and constantly so it doesn't clump. Cook until it thickens into a custard, then turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- 7 Once the custard has cooled slightly, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks, then gently fold it into the vanilla custard until fully combined and light and fluffy in texture.
- 8 Remove the kunafa nests from the oven and drizzle a little sugar syrup over them while still warm so they turn glossy and crisp without becoming soggy.
- 9 Fill the hollow of each kunafa nest with vanilla cream using a spoon or piping bag. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and a few dried rose petals, if desired.
- 10 Serve immediately while still warm and crisp so the crunchy texture stays perfect.
💡 Tips
• Make sure the kataifi is fully and evenly coated with butter so the baked result is perfectly crisp and doesn't burn in spots.
• Fill with the vanilla cream just before serving so the nests stay crisp and don't turn soggy from the cream's moisture.
• If you can't find fresh kataifi, look for it at a Middle Eastern baking supply store or in the frozen food section of a large supermarket.
• The sugar syrup should be cool when drizzled on so the kunafa doesn't get too soggy and stays crispy.
📊 Nutrition Facts / serving
320 kkal
Calories (kcal)
5 gramg
Protein
20 gramg
Fat
32 gramg
Carbs
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