Description
A luxurious fusion dessert featuring crisp kunafa nests filled with cardamom cream and topped with syrupy gulab jamun and pistachios—melding Middle Eastern texture with Indian sweetness.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- For the kunafa nests:
- 200g kataifi (shredded phyllo dough), thawed
- 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
- For the cream filling:
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup mascarpone or cream cheese
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
- For the topping:
- 12 mini gulab jamun (homemade or store-bought)
- 2 tbsp pistachios, slivered
- Honey or sugar syrup (optional drizzle)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Gently separate kataifi strands and brush with melted butter until evenly coated.
- Shape into small nests using a muffin tin or silicone mold. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until golden and crisp. Let cool.
- In a bowl, whip cream with powdered sugar and cardamom until soft peaks form. Fold in mascarpone gently.
- Pipe or spoon the cream into the cooled kunafa nests.
- Top each with 2–3 mini gulab jamun. Garnish with slivered pistachios.
- Drizzle with sugar syrup or honey if desired. Serve immediately or chill briefly before serving.
Notes
- Ensure kataifi is fully thawed and loosened before use.
- Nests can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container.
- Use rosewater or saffron syrup for added flavor depth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 nest
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 70mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 45mg