Kunafa Dessert

I can't imagine Ramadan passing by without making Kunafa! I ADORE IT!

This Middle Eastern dessert is made with a creamy layer of milk pudding between two layers of crunchy dough and then drizzled with simple sugar syrup. YUM! I also like to top it with crushed pistachio.

Kunafa

OMG! The crispy pastry and creamy filling, oozing with sweet syrup, are absolutely divine!

I have made Kunafa like 1000 times! That's because I grew up in a Middle Eastern country, and I LOVE IT.

Making this delicious dessert is a 3-part process. First, I must prepare the sugar syrup (simple syrup), filling, and pastry separately.

Once done, I assemble the dessert, bake it until golden brown and crispy, and then drizzle it with sugar syrup. Ta-dh!

Today, I will tell you all my secrets of making the most DELICIOUS dessert in the Middle East: the Knafeh.

Ingredients

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Kunafa (kataifi) pastry: I get this from a Middle Eastern store. You may also find it under the name "kataifi dough".

Ghee: I highly recommend using high-quality ghee, and NO, you can't use butter instead. However, you can use clarified butter.

To make the syrup, I use granulated sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice and water.

To make the creamy filling, I used full-fat milk, cornflour, vanilla extract and sugar.

For the topping, I used ground pistachio.

How To Make Kunafa?

I have broken down the three parts for you below:

Step One - Make The Sugar Syrup

Take out a small saucepan, add sugar and water over medium high heat and bring it to a boil. Once boiled, bring the heat to a medium and let the mixture simmer for 4 to 5 minutes more.

Into this mixture, you’ll want to add vanilla extract and lemon juice. Stir them well, and then turn the heat off.

Now set this syrup aside to cool completely. Meanwhile, you can move on to prepare the filling.

Step Two- Prepare The Filling (Ashta)

Now, take a small saucepan. In this, you’ll want to add sugar, corn flour, and milk.

Let this mixture brew over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until it starts to thicken. Whisk this mixture constantly, so that no lumps form.

Finally, add drops of vanilla extract and turn off the heat. Now, set this filling aside to cool as well. While it cools, let’s move on to preparing the Kunafa.

Step Three - Prepare The Kunafa Pastry

Before you begin to do anything, preheat the oven to 190C/370F and grease a 22 cm baking pan with ghee, and set it aside.

Now take out your pastry and blitz in the food processor until you have fine strips or cut it into small pieces using sizers and put it in a large bowl.

Now take your melted ghee and mix it thoroughly into the pastry. Rub the Kunafa with ghee using both hands.

Step Four - Assemble The Dessert

Now, it is ready to go in the oven! Add half of the kunafa to the bottom of the baking pan we had prepared ahead of time and set aside.

Press on this layer you just created on the bottom of your pan with the palm of your hand. You want to aim for a very flat layer of Kunafa.

Now add pastry around the edges of the tray and press on them as well.
Next, we’re going to pour the cream filling into the centre of the pan and spread it out over the first layer.

Top the cream with the rest of the Kunafa pastry and press it down gently using both hands. We’re aiming to create a sandwich where the Kunafa acts as bread, and the Ashta is filling in the middle.

Step Five - Bake The Kunafa

Take this Kunafa sandwich and plop it in the preheated oven. Let it bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the top becomes golden brown.

As soon as you remove it from the oven, pour the cooled syrup evenly over the top. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. This will ensure that all the syrup has been absorbed.

Sprinkle some ground pistachio on top, then cut it and serve. Ta-duh!

Success Tips

• Ensure that all ingredients are at room temperature before you start making the recipe.
• When you’re topping the cream with the pastry to make the topmost layer, make sure to cover all the white parts. None of the white fillings should be showing through the top, and the Kunafa layer should be flat and smooth. If it’s not flat and smooth, it’ll cook at uneven levels.
• You can use any choice of nuts that you like. Traditionally, walnuts, almonds, and pistachios are used on Kunafas.
• Use cheese filling instead of cream (Ashta), such as mozzarella cheese, Akkawi cheese or ricotta cheese.

How To Store It

I usually store the leftover kunafa for 3 to 5 days, after which I don’t think you’ll have leftovers anyway!

However, I don't recommend freezing this dessert; I got terrible results when freezing baked kunafa. However, you can freeze the unbaked Kunafa. You can freeze it for up to 3 months. And then whenever you feel like having it, just thaw and bake as usual.

More Middle Eastern Recipes

• Egyptian Molokhia Soup
• Om Ali

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