Ingredients
Makes 4 cakes
For the Kataifi Cake Layer
250g Antoniou Kataifi Pastry
100g butter, melted and clarified
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
For the butter cake layer
1 butter cake mix & required packet ingredients
Pistachio Buttercream
150g shelled unsalted pistachio nuts
2 Tbsp thickened cream
350g unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 cups icing sugar
To decorate
Crema di pistacchio
3 punnets fresh raspberries
Pistachio nuts, finely chopped
Recipe notes
Each component can be made ahead, a day before assembling the cake. Store the cake layers in an air tight container and store the buttercream in the fridge.
Method
For this Kataifi Pastry recipe, take your chilled Kataifi Pastry out of the fridge at least 2 hours before you begin, to bring it up to room temperature.
Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius fan forced.
To make the Kataifi Cake layer
To prepare the sugar syrup, place the water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and allow the syrup to simmer for 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Separate and tear the Kataifi Pastry into pieces, approximately 5cm long. Place in a large mixing bowl and pour the butter over it. Using your hands massage the butter into the Kataifi until it is evenly and well coated. Transfer the Kataifi evenly between four mini 12cm tart tins and press down firmly with your hands to flatten. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and pour the syrup over the Kataifi. Allow to sit in tins for at least an hour.
To make the butter cake layer
Prepare the butter cake mix batter according to packet instructions and transfer evenly between four mini 12cm tart tins. Once cooked and cooled, remove the cakes from their tins.
To make the pistachio buttercream
Place the shelled pistachios in a food processor and grind until very fine. Add the thickened cream and mix until a thick paste forms. Set aside.
Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for 10 minutes on medium speed, until the butter is fluffy and lightens in colour. Add the pistachio mix and the vanilla bean paste and mix until well combined.
Add the icing sugar and mix on low speed until the sugar has incorporated, then mix on high speed for 3 minutes until the icing is light and fluffy.
To assemble the cake
Place one Kataifi layer on your serving dish. Spread a layer of buttercream over the Kataifi and drizzle with a generous amount of crema di pistacchio. Position the butter cake layer over the buttercream. Spread buttercream over the cake layer and top with fresh raspberries and chopped pistachio nuts.
Repeat with remaining three cakes.
Watch how to assemble a Mini Pistachio Kataifi Cake