Turkish Bread Pudding in Syrup with Kaymak (Ekmek Kadayıfı)

Place the ready-made ekmek kadayıfı in a rimmed tray about one and a half times its width. Pour the lukewarm water over every part of the kadayıf and leave it for 10-15 minutes. Once the kadayıf has softened, raise one side of the tray slightly and leave it tilted; when the excess water has drained off on its own, pour it away. Do not press the kadayıf with your hands.

Chef's tip: The kadayıf puffs up as it cooks; if the tray is too small, the syrup overflows and the kadayıf sticks to the sides.

Put the sugar and water in a saucepan and heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. When it starts to boil, add the lemon juice and boil over medium heat for 10 minutes. Keep the syrup hot on the lowest setting of the hob until you pour it over the kadayıf.

Set the tray with the kadayıf over low heat. Using a ladle, pour the hot syrup little by little around the edges of the tray and around the kadayıf, not straight into the middle. After each ladleful, wait for the kadayıf to soak up the syrup before adding the next.

Once all the syrup has been added, cook over low heat for 25-30 minutes. Ladle the syrup that collects at the edges back over the kadayıf, and turn the tray on the hob from time to time so the bottom does not catch. When the kadayıf has puffed up and absorbed the syrup and no runny syrup is left in the bottom of the tray, take it off the heat.

Wearing oven gloves, turn the kadayıf out upside down onto a tray slightly smaller than it or onto a flat serving plate. Leave it at room temperature for at least 2 hours, until completely cool.

Chef's tip: Kadayıf cut while hot falls apart; wait until it is completely cool before slicing.

With a sharp knife, cut the cooled kadayıf into wedges. Put a spoonful of kaymak on each slice and, if you like, sprinkle with ground Antep pistachios.