Make the syrup. Add 2 cups of water and 1 1/2 cups of sugar in a saucepan. Gradually heat up the syrup over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Then add in the cinnamon stick, cognac or brandy, and lemon rind. Continue to heat over medium-low heat, gradually bringing the syrup to a boil and then reducing the heat. Then, add the lemon juice. Stir and let the syrup simmer for another 3-5 minutes. The lemon juice will reduce the likelihood of the sugar crystallizing. The syrup should be cooked for at least 10-15 minutes before removing it from the heat so that it can slightly thicken. Then, remove the syrup from the heat and allow it to come to room temperature.

Prepare the kataifi base. Preheat the oven to 350°F on bake. Lightly grease the bottom of a 9" x 13" baking pan with unsalted butter. Cut half of the kataifi phyllo and remove it from the bag. Pull the kataifi apart in opposite directions, so it's fluffy and spread out evenly in the baking pan. I like to break the kataifi apart into shorter strands as well. The goal is not to have the kataifi clumped together. Mel 1/2 a cup of unsalted butter and pour the melted butter over the kataifi. Use your hands to mix the kataifi with the butter. Sprinkle the top of the kataifi base evenly with a teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Bake the kataifi in the oven for 20-25 minutes. I like the kataifi to be softer, so I usually pull it out around the 20-minute mark when it's a very light golden brown colour. When ready, remove the kataifi from the oven and use a ladle to pour the room-temperature syrup over the hot kataifi slowly.

Make the vanilla custard cream. This is the middle layer and the most essential part of the ekmek. In a large pot, combine 5 cups of homogenized milk, 1 cup of whipping cream or heavy cream, 1 cup of white sugar, and lemon zest from one lemon. Gradually heat these ingredients up over low heat. In a large bowl, add 6 egg yolks and whisk together. Then add 1/2 a cup of white sugar and 2 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract to the egg yolks. Whisk well together for at least 5 minutes until the egg yolks are pale and frothy. You can also use a handheld mixer to whisk the eggs. Then add 3/4 cup of cornstarch to the eggs and whisk together. Set aside the egg mixture briefly until it's time to temper the eggs. The milk mixture on the stove should be warm (but you should be able to touch the milk without pulling your finger away). You don't want the milk to be too hot when tempering the eggs since this can cause the eggs to scramble. Temper the eggs: Use a large spoon or ladle and slowly add a little bit of the warm milk to the egg mixture and whisk right away. Repeat this step 3-4 times until the egg mixture is liquid. Then pour the tempered eggs back into the pot with the warm milk and continue to whisk over medium-low heat in one direction. Whisk the custard for 10-12 minutes on medium-low heat until the custard starts to thicken. Then, remove it from the heat. Allow the custard to cool for 20-25 minutes, and then spread the custard evenly over the baked kataifi. Cover tightly with plastic wrap to avoid a film over the custard, and set in the fridge for at least 30-45 minutes before topping with whipped cream.

Make the whipped cream. Place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in your freezer for 10 minutes before making the whipped cream. Combine 2 cups of whipping cream, 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract, and 1/4 cup of icing sugar in a mixing bowl. Whisk together on medium speed (#4 on a KitchenAid mixer) until the whipped cream is light and fluffy and holds its shape. Remove the kataifi with custard from the fridge once you're ready to add the whipped topping. The custard should be cold by this point. If not, you can place it back in the fridge until the top of the custard feels cool. Spread the whipped cream evenly over the custard. Sprinkle with cinnamon, lightly toasted blanched almonds, chopped pistachios or a combo of the two!