Brown Butter Knafeh

Gala Apple Sorbet and Toasted Walnuts

Pastry Chef Emma Scanlon of Albi | Washington, D.C.

Adapted by StarChefs | March 2022

INGREDIENTS:

Sorbet Syrup:
1.815 kilograms sugar
27 grams Cremodan 64
300 grams glucose

Apple Sorbet: 
Gala apples, peeled and chopped
Salt

Walnut Brown Butter Crumb:
Yield: 3 liters
800 kilograms walnuts, toasted
300 grams sugar
2 ½ to 3 cups tapioca maltodextrin
200 grams brown butter, room temperature
6 grams Maldon sea salt

Knafeh Syrup:
Yield: 5 liters
3.2 kilograms sugar
200 grams brown butter
40 grams vanilla paste
10 grams salt
80 grams orange blossom water
60 grams rosewater
70 grams orange juice
120 grams lemon juice
3 cinnamon sticks

Knafeh:
Yield: 1 serving
454 grams kataifi, chopped into 1-inch pieces
225 grams brown butter
150 grams ricotta

To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving
1 teaspoon brown butter
Compressed apple twists

METHOD:

For the Sorbet Syrup:
In a bowl, whisk sugar and Cremodan together. To a pot, add sugar mixture, glucose, and 1.66 kilograms water. Bring to a rolling boil, whisking occasionally. Strain over an ice bath and let cool.

For the Apple Sorbet:
In a Vitamix blender, blend apples until homogenous. Stream in Sorbet Syrup, checking refractometer, until brix reads 27 percent. Season with salt. Transfer to a Pacojet canister and freeze until solid. Spin sorbet in Pacojet. Transfer to a nonreactive container and freeze.

For the Walnut Brown Butter Crumb:
In a food processor, pulse together toasted walnuts and sugar until nuts are finely chopped. Empty walnut mixture into a mixing bowl. To the food processor, add butter and maltodextrin and pulse until powderized. Fold together the brown butter powder, walnuts, and salt. Reserve in an airtight container.

For the Knafeh Syrup:
In a pot, bring all ingredients and 1.888 kilograms water to a boil. Once the sugar is melted, remove from heat and let steep. Keep warm.

For the Knafeh:
Heat oven to 350°F. In a bowl, toss kataifi with brown butter until fully coated. Line a 6-inch cast iron skillet with the buttered kataifi so that it fills about three-quarters of the pan. Spread ricotta over kataifi then layer with more buttered kataifi. With the fan on high, bake until golden brown, 22 to 28 minutes. Flip the pastry out carefully.

To Assemble and Serve: 
Heat a pizza or convection oven to its highest temperature. Grease a cast iron skillet with brown butter. Carefully place Knafeh in the cast iron skillet. On an induction burner over high heat, cook Knafeh 1 minute. Place Knafeh in the oven and cook until crispy on top, about 4 minutes. Flip the Knafeh into a serving bowl and cover with Knafeh Syrup. Top with a layer of Brown Butter Crumb, a quenelle of Apple Sorbet, and twists of compressed apple. 

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