Easy Ekmek

This Greek ekmek pastry is made with cream cheese, mascarpone, rosewater and pistachios.

4.5 from 2 votes

Bread pudding meets ekmek in this "east meets west" dessert idea. The pistachios are a real treat, too. Try to use Aegina pistachios, the best in the world, dry-farmed, so intensely flavored and crunchy.

Course brunch, dessert

Cuisine Greek, Greek cuisine, Mediterranean diet

Keyword Aegina pistachios, Diane Kochilas, ekmek, Greek dessert, mascarpone, rosewater

PREP TIME 40 minutes

TIME 1 hour 40 minutes

SERVES 8

Ingredients

4 cups sugar
1 cup honey
6 tbsp. rose water
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 large baguette crust removed, cut into four elongated pieces
2 cups mascarpone
2 cups cream cheese
2 cups chopped roasted Aegina pistachios

Instructions

In a saucepan large enough to hold the bread, boil 2 cups water and sugar. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the honey.
In a medium pot over low flame, heat the sugar, honey and water. Simmer the syrup for 18 to 20 minutes, until it is thick and golden.
Add the rose water and lemon juice.
Place the bread in the syrup and simmer for 20 minutes, dampening the bread with the syrup as you cook it. Dilute with water occasionally if the syrup seems too thick.
When the bread is lightly golden, remove it and place it in one layer in a large glass serving dish.
Beat the mascarpone with the cream cheese and spread on top. Sprinkle with nuts and put the cake in the refrigerator for an hour for the topping to set.
Serve.