Qatayef or katayef, and sometimes even qata’if, is an Arabic dessert, a type of dumpling that is filled with cream or nuts. It can even be in the shape of a folded pancake. It’s a staple dessert of the Middle East, especially during Ramadan. It's also rather easy to make and calls for just a few basic ingredients. The important part is getting the batter texture and denseness right every time. Qatayef can also be savory, and stuffed with cheese and mint or meat. But here we are going to make a sweet qatayef which can be a snack, a meal or even a dessert. This most delicious dessert recipe shows you how to make it.
Ingredients:
For the qatayef batter:
- 240 gm all purpose flour
- 3 gm dry yeast
- 14 gm sugar
- 1 gm baking powder
- 6 gm dry powdered milk
- A pinch of salt
- 420 ml warm water
- Oil for deep frying
For the thick simple syrup:
- 400 gm sugar
- 240 ml water
- 60 ml honey
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- A dash of vanilla powder or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling:
- nut mixture of your choice
Directions:
- First, make the syrup. In a pan on medium heat, add the sugar, water, honey, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Mix well and let it come to a boil. Then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let it cool to room temperature. As it cools, it will thicken. This is fine.
- In a bowl, sift in the flour. Then add the dry yeast, sugar, baking powder, dry powdered milk and salt. Mix well. Then add the water, a little bit at a time. First add some water, mix it in, then add more and mix again. Continue this process, using a little water at a time, until it is all mixed in. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then check the consistency of the batter. If it's too thick, add more water. It should be thinner than pancake batter and smooth, having no lumps.
- Heat a pan on medium heat. Scoop a spoonful or two of batter onto the pan. The batter will bubble at the surface as it cooks. Do not flip. Once the surface has formed and set and is golden brown, remove from heat.
- Place the qatayef, bubbling side up, on a baking sheet and cover it with a towel. Set it aside until you’ve cooked up all the batter.
- Then fill the pancakes with a spoon of nut mixture. Do not overfill or it will tear. Then fold the pancakes in half and pinch the sides together to firmly close them.
- Heat oil in a pot or kadhai. Fry each qatayef for about three minutes on each side, until they are dark golden brown. If you want them softer, then fry for a shorter time.
- Then remove from the pot and place them on a plate lined with a paper towel to get the excess oil out. Then immediately dip the qatayef in the cooled syrup while it is still hot. Turn over and cover the other side with syrup too.
- Then place the qatayef in a colander and let it drip out. The longer you leave it in the syrup, the more syrup it will soak up and become softer.
- Serve warm.
Notes, tips and tricks:
- In most cases you’ll need to add some water to the batter since it will be a bit thick and you need to make it thinner.
- Be careful when you cook the qatayef. If the pan is too hot, it will burn. And if it's too low on heat, it will be pale and take a long time to cook.
- After cooking, you can also freeze the stuffed pancakes on a parchment lined baking sheet for a few hours. Then place them in a ziplock bag and store in the freezer. When ready to use, fry directly from the frozen state. You don't need to thaw. This makes the qatayef a great choice for a make ahead dessert. It will be good for six weeks in the freezer.
- The nut mixture can include almonds, pistachios, walnuts or any other nuts of your choice.