Middle Eastern Sweets Middle EasternMedium

Mango Tajín Knafeh Cups

Name: Mango Tajín Knafeh Cups
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 6 oz (170 g) Kataifi pastry (shredded phyllo), Thawed if frozen, separated into loose shreds; 4 oz (115 g) Unsalted butter, Melted; 8 oz (225 g) Whole milk ricotta cheese, Well-drained to remove excess whey; 2 medium (300 g) Ripe mango, Peeled, pitted, diced into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes, excess juice patted away with paper towels; 5 tablespoons (75 ml) Honey, Divided: 3 tablespoons for the filling, 2 tablespoons for drizzling; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Fresh lime juice, Freshly squeezed; 1 teaspoon (6 g) Lime zest, finely grated, From fresh limes, zested just before use; 1 teaspoon (5 g) Tajín seasoning, For the filling, plus extra for optional dusting on top; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) Kosher salt; ¼ cup (30 g) Roasted salted pistachios, Roughly chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Individual crispy kataifi cups filled with fresh mango, whipped ricotta, lime, and Tajín—a spicy-sweet Middle Eastern–Mexican fusion dessert. The delicate pastry shells provide a satisfying contrast to the cool, tangy filling, while Tajín seasoning adds depth and a gentle kick. Served at room temperature or chilled, these elegant cups come together quickly once the pastry is baked.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 55 min
Makes: 6 filled pastry cups (6 servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the cups
6 oz (170 g) Kataifi pastry (shredded phyllo), Thawed if frozen, separated into loose shreds
4 oz (115 g) Unsalted butter, Melted
For the filling
8 oz (225 g) Whole milk ricotta cheese, Well-drained to remove excess whey
2 medium (300 g) Ripe mango, Peeled, pitted, diced into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes, excess juice patted away with paper towels
5 tablespoons (75 ml) Honey, Divided: 3 tablespoons for the filling, 2 tablespoons for drizzling
2 tablespoons (30 ml) Fresh lime juice, Freshly squeezed
1 teaspoon (6 g) Lime zest, finely grated, From fresh limes, zested just before use
1 teaspoon (5 g) Tajín seasoning, For the filling, plus extra for optional dusting on top
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) Kosher salt
¼ cup (30 g) Roasted salted pistachios, Roughly chopped (optional)

Equipment (8)

6-cup muffin tin
Wire rack (for cooling pastry)
Medium mixing bowl
Small sharp knife
Pastry brush
Vegetable peeler
Spoon or spatula (for folding)
Small ice cream scoop (optional but helpful)

Steps

Before you start

Thaw kataifi if frozen (1 hour at room temperature); if starting from frozen, add 60 minutes to total time
Preheat oven 10 minutes before you begin cooking
Measure all ingredients and have them ready (mise en place)
Have a 6-cup muffin tin and wire rack set up and ready

1
Preheat oven and prepare tinOven 350°F / 175°C
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- While it preheats, brush the cups of a 6-cup muffin tin generously with about 1 tablespoon of the melted butter, making sure to coat the bottom and all sides of each cup with an even layer.
- Pay special attention to the edges and corners.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Oven is preheated and muffin tin is fully buttered
Tip: Generous butter prevents sticking and helps the pastry brown evenly
2
Separate and butter kataifi
- If the kataifi was frozen, it should be thawed by now.
- Open the package and, using your fingers or a fork, gently separate all the thin shreds so they're loose and airy—do not leave them clumped.
- Pour the remaining 3 tablespoons of melted butter over the separated shreds and gently toss with your fingers until each shred is lightly coated.
- The goal is light coverage; avoid heavy, wet saturation.
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Ready when: All kataifi shreds are separated and evenly buttered
Tip: Handle kataifi gently and work quickly; if it warms up, it can become sticky and difficult to shape
3
Form cups in muffin tin
- Take about 1.5 oz (40g) of the buttered kataifi and gently but firmly press it into one cup of the prepared muffin tin, shaping it to form the bottom and sides of a small pastry cup.
- Repeat with the remaining kataifi, filling all six cups.
- The shape doesn't need to be perfectly smooth; a rustic, lacy nest appearance is ideal.
- Work quickly so the kataifi doesn't warm up and become pliable.
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Ready when: All six cups are formed and ready to bake
Tip: Press gently but firmly so the cups hold their shape; avoid compacting them so much that they lose their airy, delicate texture
4
Bake kataifi until golden and crispyOven 350°F / 175°C
- Transfer the muffin tin to the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the kataifi shreds are deep golden brown and sound crispy when you gently tap the side of a cup with your finger.
- Start checking at 18 minutes, as baking times vary.
- The pastry should feel light and crisp, not soft or chewy.
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Ready when: Kataifi is golden brown throughout and feels crispy to the touch
Tip: Watch carefully after 18 minutes; dark golden is what you want, but burnt is just a shade darker—don't walk away
5
Cool cups in muffin tin
- Remove the muffin tin from the oven and place it on a wire rack or cool counter.
- Let the baked cups rest in the tin for exactly 5 minutes.
- This cooling time allows them to set and firm up slightly while still remaining pliable enough to remove without shattering.
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Tip: Set a timer for this step—5 minutes is the sweet spot between set and still pliable
6
Remove cups from tin and finish cooling
- Run a small sharp knife around the edge of each baked cup to loosen it from the tin.
- Carefully slide the knife under the bottom edge and, in one gentle motion, lift the cup out onto a wire rack or clean plate.
- Work quickly but gently—they're still warm and can tear easily.
- Let the cups cool completely on the rack for about 5 more minutes.
- They'll finish crisping as they cool.
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Ready when: Cups are completely cool and firm to the touch
Tip: If a cup breaks or sticks badly, you can gently reheat it in a 300°F oven for 2 minutes and re-form it—don't stress
7
Prepare and dice mango
- Using a vegetable peeler or small sharp knife, peel the skin from both mangoes.
- Once peeled, stand each mango upright (stem-side up) and make two lengthwise cuts just to the left and right of the pit, creating two large flat halves.
- Turn the mango halves skin-side up and score the flesh in a crosshatch pattern (without cutting through the skin), making cuts about ½ inch (1 cm) apart.
- Use a spoon to scoop the cubed flesh into a bowl.
- Repeat with the second mango.
- You should have about 1.5 cups (300g) of diced mango.
- Pat the diced mango with paper towels to remove excess juice—this step is crucial for keeping the filling from becoming soggy.
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Ready when: Mango is peeled, pitted, diced, and excess moisture is removed
Tip: The paper towel step is critical—excess juice will make the filling too wet and weigh down the delicate crispy cups
8
Combine filling ingredients
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the well-drained ricotta cheese (about 8 oz/225g).
- Add the diced mango, 3 tablespoons of honey, 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, 1 teaspoon of Tajín seasoning, 1 teaspoon of lime zest, and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
- Using a spoon or spatula, gently fold all the ingredients together until just combined.
- Don't overmix, as this can break apart the mango chunks and release excess liquid.
- Taste a small spoonful: it should taste sweet, creamy, tangy from the lime, and have a gentle heat from the Tajín.
- Adjust seasoning by adding more lime juice for tartness, more Tajín for spice, or a pinch more salt to balance the sweetness.
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Ready when: Filling is gently combined with all ingredients distributed throughout
Tip: This filling is best used within 2 hours of making; the mango will continue to release liquid the longer it sits
9
Fill the kataifi cups
- Divide the mango filling evenly among the six cooled kataifi cups, using a spoon or a small ice cream scoop to drop about 3-4 tablespoons of filling into each cup.
- You can mound it slightly above the rim if desired.
- You should use all the filling.
- Place the filled cups on a serving platter or individual plates.
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Ready when: All six cups are filled with mango filling
Tip: Do this step as close to serving time as possible to keep the pastry cups as crispy as possible
10
Drizzle, garnish, and serve
- Drizzle each filled cup with about ½ teaspoon of the remaining honey (about 2 tablespoons total split among all six cups).
- If using pistachios, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of chopped roasted pistachios over the top of each cup.
- Serve the cups immediately, either chilled or at room temperature.
- They're best enjoyed fresh.
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Ready when: Cups are drizzled and garnished, ready to serve
Tip: If you want to serve these chilled, fill them up to 1 hour ahead and refrigerate until serving; just know the pastry will soften slightly

Good to know

Tips

Drain your ricotta well before using—excess whey will make the filling too wet and heavy for the delicate pastry. You can line a strainer with cheesecloth, add the ricotta, and let it drain in the fridge for 1-2 hours if you have time.
Pat the diced mango dry with paper towels after cutting—mango releases a lot of liquid, and excess moisture is the enemy of crispy pastry cups.
The pastry cups can be stored for up to 1 day in an airtight container at room temperature, making them perfect for advance preparation. Just assemble them fresh before serving to maintain crispness.
If you want warm pastry cups, reheat the filled cups gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3-4 minutes just before serving—don't leave them longer or the filling will warm up and the pastry may soften too much.

Make ahead

Kataifi cups can be made up to 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The filling can be made up to 4 hours ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator. Assemble no more than 1 hour before serving to keep the pastry crispy.

Storage & reheating

Filled cups are best served immediately but can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 hours before the pastry softens significantly. Covered in the refrigerator, they'll last 1 day, though the pastry will lose crispness. The pastry and filling can be stored separately for up to 3 days (pastry in an airtight container at room temperature, filling covered in the fridge); assemble just before serving. Freezing is not recommended due to texture loss. To reheat cooled cups, place them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3-4 minutes to restore some crispness.

Substitutions

Kataifi pastry (shredded phyllo) → Phyllo pastry sheets, cut into thin strips. The texture won't be quite as delicate and lacy, but it will still work well and bake similarly
Whole milk ricotta cheese → Mascarpone, Greek yogurt (drained), or whipped cream cheese thinned with yogurt. These have different flavor profiles; adjust sweetness and salt to taste since some are tangier or richer than ricotta
Ripe mango → Diced stone fruits (peaches, nectarines, apricots), pineapple, or drained canned mango. If using canned, drain thoroughly and pat dry to prevent excess moisture
Tajín seasoning → Homemade blend: 1 teaspoon chili powder (or Marash/Aleppo chili), ½ teaspoon lime zest, and ¼ teaspoon salt. This won't be identical to true Tajín, but it will provide similar heat, tartness, and complexity