Kataifi Dough for Bakeries

Kataifi is one of the few ingredients that lets a bakery add a genuinely different counter product without new equipment or new skills. It bakes like any buttered pastry, it holds its shape, and almost nobody else in the neighbourhood is selling anything made from it. The obstacle has always been getting it fresh – which is what we manufacture in Mumbai.

Shredded phyllo, kataifi, kadaif – all the same thing

If you have been searching for shredded phyllo dough and finding nothing, the naming is why. Kataifi, kadaif, kadayif, kunafa dough and shredded phyllo all describe the same product: phyllo pushed through fine nozzles onto a hot plate so it sets as thin strands rather than sheets. We use kataifi, but ask for whichever word you know it by.

What bakeries make with it

Kunafa trays cut into squares for counter sale – the highest-margin use, and the one customers now recognise.
Bird’s nests coiled and filled with pistachio or cream, which display beautifully and hold for days.
Filled chocolate bars using toasted strands, riding the current kunafa chocolate demand.
Crunch layers in cheesecakes, entremets and tart bases, where toasted kataifi replaces a biscuit crumb.
Savoury wraps around a filling for a fried counter snack.

Why the dough being fresh changes your yield

Frozen and thawed kataifi turns brittle. Instead of separating into long strands it breaks into short fragments, which means more waste per kilo, a messier bench, and finished products that do not have the stringy look the customer is buying.

Fresh dough separates cleanly, takes butter evenly and browns without the ends scorching. For a bakery costing product by the tray, that is a real difference in usable yield.

Handling it on the bench

Three things matter, and they are the ones most bakers get wrong first time:

Pull, do not chop. Separate the strands by hand before buttering, or the middle of the tray stays raw.
Butter generously and evenly. Under-buttered kataifi goes dry and pale rather than golden.
Syrup temperature. Hot pastry takes cool syrup, or cool pastry takes hot syrup – never both hot, or it goes soggy.

Our step-by-step handling guide covers the rest.

Pack sizes for a bakery

We supply 1 kg, 5 kg and 10 kg packs plus custom quantities. A single-outlet bakery testing a new counter line and a multi-branch operation running kunafa daily need different things, and we are happy to start you small. Delivery covers Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai.

What bakeries build with kataifi

Beyond kunafa trays, the strands work as nests, rolls and cheesecake bases. Our Esh Al Bulbul bird’s nest and Pistachio Baklava Cheesecake are both made on the same dough we supply. See the whole baklava range for format ideas.

Frequently asked questions

Is kataifi dough the same as shredded phyllo dough?

Yes. Kataifi, kadaif, kadayif and shredded phyllo all describe the same product – phyllo extruded into fine strands instead of rolled into sheets. Spelling varies by region, the dough does not.

Can I use kataifi in a regular bakery oven?

Yes. It bakes like any buttered pastry. Most bakers find it needs a slightly lower temperature and a longer time than they expect, because the strands colour faster on the surface than the centre sets.

How long does fresh kataifi dough keep in a bakery?

Kept sealed and refrigerated it holds for several days. It can also be frozen, though you lose some pliability on thawing – which is exactly why we supply fresh rather than frozen.

Do you supply small quantities for a single-outlet bakery?

Yes. We supply from 1 kg upward. You do not need to be a chain to buy from us, and we would rather you started small and reordered than committed to a pack you cannot get through.

Can you supply consistently for a product I put on permanent sale?

That is what a standing order is for. Agree a weekly or fortnightly quantity with us and it gets built into the production run rather than treated as an ad-hoc request.

Get a bakery supply quote

Call +91 89289 05912 or email Sales@sufyskanafehpoint.in with your quantity and location. Samples are available if you want to trial it on the bench first.