Armenian Shredded Wheat Dessert Recipes

KANAFA

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Use a food processor to finely chop the frozen, shredded phyllo dough. The strands should be about the size of a grain of rice. Pour the dough into a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/3 cup sugar.
• Place the butter in a large liquid measuring cup or bowl with a spout. Heat the butter in a microwave until completely melted, and let it sit for several minutes until a thick white foam has formed on top. Clarify the butter by using a spoon to skim off the foam.
• Carefully pour the butter into the bowl of phyllo dough. Avoid pouring in the white milk solids at the bottom of the clarified butter. Use your hands to mix the butter and dough together. Make sure that the butter is absorbed by taking handfuls of the dough and rubbing it between your palms.
• Evenly spread the buttered phyllo dough into a 9x13-inch pan and firmly press it into the bottom and edges. Spread the cheese mixture onto the dough, avoiding the edges of the pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is slightly golden and the edges of dough are brown and bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes.
• While the kanafa is baking, prepare the syrup. Combine the water and 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the lemon juice. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. (Do not let the mixture turn golden and caramelize.) Remove from heat and add the rose water; set aside.
• Remove the kanafa from the oven. Place a large platter or baking sheet over the baking dish. Using oven mitts, carefully invert the baking dish onto the platter so the phyllo is on top. Pour the syrup over the kanafa. Cut into pieces and serve while hot.

ARMENIAN SHREDDED WHEAT DESSERT

Steps:

• Preheat to 350.
• Butter a 9x13 dish.
• Pour some milk in a bowl. Dip both sides of each shredded wheat square in the milk. Open each square in half and place in dish.
• Sprinkle over shredded wheat the sugar, ground walnut, honey and cinnamon.
• Pour milk over and dot with desired amount of butter.
• Bake for 30 minute.

KADAIFI ME KREMA (GREEK SHREDDED WHEAT PASTRY WITH CUSTARD)

Steps:

• For custard: combine milk and semolina in a heavy pan; blend in beaten eggs and add salt and sugar; place over medium heat and stir constantly until thickened and bubbling; remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla extract and cover top of custard with plastic wrap (directly on surface of custard) to prevent a skin from forming.
• For pastry: place kadaifi in a large bowl and gently separate strands with fingers.
• Grease 13 x 9 inch glass oven dish with some of the.
• butter; put half the kadaifi in the base, pressing it down somewhat to make it compact; drizzle 1/4 cup butter evenly over it; pour custard filling over kadtaifi, spreading it evenly; top with remaining kadaifi; spread evenly and pat down gently; pour remaining melted butter evenly over top.
• Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 45 minutes until golden-brown; remove from oven and cool completely.
• For syrup: dissolve sugar in water over medium heat, add lemon rind and cinnamon stick and bring to the boil; add lemon juice and boil over medium heat for 15 minutes, skimming when necessary; do not stir once syrup is boiling; strain hot syrup over cooled pastry; leave until cold and cut into diamond shapes to serve.