Combine all the ingredients for the syrup into a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 °F

Butter the bottom and sides of a 10 x 15 inch baking pan.

Using your hands pull apart the kataifi strands so that you do not have any compact clumps of kataifi dough. The dough should be loose and pulled apart. Place in baking pan and spread evenly. See Recipe Note.

Drizzle the melted butter over the kataifi dough and use your hands to toss the dough a bit so that the butter is dispersed throughout the kataifi. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake in middle rack of oven for 20 - 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven.

As soon as you remove the kataifi dough from the oven pour the room temperature syrup over it. Use the back of a spoon to press down on the kataifi dough to make it compact, and even. Set aside ideally for a few hours at room temperature before making the custard filling. You can even leave it overnight. See Recipe Note.

In a large pot combine your milk, butter, sugar, vanilla and corn starch or Jotis vanilla pudding powder.

Whisk your eggs together in a bowl so that the whites and yolks are combined. Pour into the pot with the milk.

Bring the heat up to medium and cook your custard for approximately 10 minutes or until thickened. Stir constantly with a whisk during this time to prevent the custard from burning. See video here.

Once your custard is thickened, pour it over the syrup-soaked kataifi. Spread it evenly over the kataifi. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 to 3 hours until the custard is set. See Recipe Note.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand held mixer) combine the whipping cream, icing sugar and cognac. Whip until you can create peaks with the cream. Spread evenly over the cooled and set custard filling and then top with the chopped pistachios. Return to refrigerator to set for at least 30 minutes before serving.