Kunafa | Arabic Dessert ~ Ramzan Special

Kunafa / knafeh(arabic) is a Middle Eastern dessert made with a spun pastry called kataiffi (thin vermicelli) and soaked in a lightly scented sugar syrup called attar. This is a buttery, crunchy dessert with a layer of soft milk cheese pudding inside and garnished with chopped pistachios. Ideally, ghee is used to make the recipe, but butter can also be used to make this recipe. Kunafah can be served warm or cold, we liked the warm version as the cheese texture is enjoyed the best then. I had already shared the baklava rolls which is made with phyllo pastry sheets and Umm Ali, another Eyptian sweet dessert. Basbousa(Eggless) is also one of our favourite dessert made with sooji(semolina) and coconut. Each of thee desserts have a special taste and loved it. 

I wished to bake this pastry since long and was in my do list since long. There were many contradictions that I wished to clarify before I actually made the recipe. Ideally akkawi(nabulsi) is the sweet cheese used in this recipe which is not available in my part of the world. So mozzarella cheese comes closer to this and can be used. The sugar syrup and milk pudding can be prepared much in advance and refrigerated before use. Add rose water or orange blossom after cooling the sugar syrup. I haven't used any of them in my recipe. A bake time of 15-20 minutes is good enough to bake the kunafa.

Preparation time ~ 20 minutes

Baking time ~ 27-30 minutes

Serves ~ 4

Author ~ Julie

Ingredients

for dough

kunafa vermicelli (thin vermicelli) 150 gms

unsalted butter, 100 gms

for sugar syrup

granulated sugar 3/4 cup

water 1/2 cup

lemon juice 1/2 tsp

for filling

whole milk 1 cup

corn flour 2 tbsp

mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup grated

for topping

pistachios chopped 1/4 cup

Method

• Boil the granulated sugar and water listed under sugar syrup till the syrup thickens to a one string consistency. Switch off flame and leave to cool. Add lemon juice and mix so that sugar doesn't crystallize.
• Mix the corn flour with 2 tbsp milk and keep aside. Boil the remaining milk in another pan. Add the corn flour mixed milk to the boiling milk. Cook till the custard thickens and switch off flame.
• Crumble the long strands of vermicelli. Mix the kunafa vermicelli with softened butter. Keep aside.

• Prepare a baking tin 6' round by applying butter to the bottom and sides. Add half of the kunafa mixed butter to the pan (reserve the rest to cover after filling custard mixed cheese) and level this mixture using a katori or spatula. 
• Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C or 350 degrees F.
• Add the custard to the top of the mixture, followed by grated cheese. Then add the remaining kunafa dough mixed butter mixture to cover the sides and top evenly. Using a spatula press down all the sides to get an even shape. 

• Place in pre-heated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. (I gave the bottom rod in the oven throughout, except the top rod for the last two minutes to get the golden brown on top too). Removed from oven at 30 minutes.
• Cool the kunafa and invert on a plate. Pour the sugar syrup on top and garnish with chopped pistachios. The cheese hardens as it sits and cools, so serving warm is better.

NOTES

* You may not need to pour all the prepared syrup, I had 1/4 portion of the syrup remaining.

* Add any flavourful essence like rose water to spike the flavours. Add rose water or orange blossom after cooling the sugar syrup. I haven't used any of them in my recipe. A bake time of 15-20 minutes is good enough to bake the kunafa.

* The sugar syrup and milk pudding can be prepared much in advance and refrigerated before use. 

* You can refrigerate any left over kunafa in fridge and re heated before use. Microwave 20 seconds or bake in pre-heated oven (350 degrees F for 10 minutes) and enjoy.

Enjoy :)