The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Spicing up Konafa with brand new fresh and creative fillings has become a common Ramadan trend in all the pastry shops and bakeries across Cairo – think of it as this generation’s contribution to Ramadan tradition. We’ve seen the infamous Nutella infused konafa, the viral red velvet and konafa topped with meringue, dates and fresh cream – the list goes on.

There’s certainly plenty out there, but experience has shown us that not all of these Frankenstein creations work;which is why we were thrilled with how heavenly – yes, heavenly – Tortina’s Mango Konafa turned out to be.

Paying a visit to Tortina’s Maadi branch, we were immediately struck by the succulent selection of crisp, amber-colour konafa dishes with more toppings and fillings than the mind can comprehend.

Tortina’s konafa specialties include Konafa Mars Cheesecake, Black Forest Konafa, Nutella-layered Konafa Bowl and a rather tempting Strawberry and Cream filled Crispy Konafa.

One of the pleasant staff members recommended the Mango Panna Cotta pyrex (210LE) – Tortina’s signature dessert dish this Ramadan comprising of konafa, fresh cream, Panna Cotta and fresh mangoes. Naturally we dared not say no, because, well, you try saying no that.  

While the combination of konafa with cream and/or mango is one of the more widely accepted of these Ramadan variations, this one had one intriguing addition; mango flavoured panna cotta.

So, here’s how it goes; a layer of fresh cream anchors the creation, which is topped by a layer of fresh mangoes; on top of that is the konafa, while on top of that, is the panna cotta. While panna cotta’s jelly-like consistency may not be the first thing you’d want to pair with konafa, the whole thing works. So fresh, so smooth and so flavourful, the panna cotta instantly melted in our mouths, though, overall, the dessert needed a few more mango slices.

In addition to konafa, Tortina also offers a wide selection of traditional Egyptian sweets and desserts, including basbousa and katayef available in different sizes and prices— 55LE for small platters, 65LE for medium sized ones and 75LE for bigger platters. 

Many bemoan these kooky twists on traditional favourites and few execute them as well as Tortina has this year. They haven’t simply bunged a load of ingredients on a konafa; these creations have been though through, they’ve been crafted and, maybe most importantly, they’re unique.