Middle_Eastern
Middle Eastern - Desserts and Sweets
Royal Cheese Kunafa (Knafeh)
Chef's Menu Description
Layers of crisp golden filo pastry or delicate semolina cake, soaked in aromatic orange blossom honey syrup and crowned with crushed pistachios.
Ingredients
- • 400g kataifi pastry, shredded
- • 250g unsalted butter, melted
- • 350g akkawi cheese, desalted and shredded
- • 3 tbsp fine semolina
- • 1 cup sugar
- • 1/2 cup water
- • 1 tsp lemon juice
- • 1 tbsp orange blossom water
- • 2 tbsp pistachios, finely crushed
Preparation Steps
1
Phase 1
Boil the sugar, water, and lemon juice for 10 minutes into a light syrup; cool and stir in the orange blossom water.
2
Phase 2
Toss the shredded akkawi with the semolina so it holds together when melted.
3
Phase 3
Press half the buttered kataifi evenly into a buttered round tray.
4
Phase 4
Spread the cheese mixture over the kataifi, leaving the edge clear.
5
Phase 5
Cover with the remaining buttered kataifi, pressing down firmly.
6
Phase 6
Bake at 190C for 40-45 minutes until deeply golden and the cheese is molten.
7
Phase 7
Pour the cold syrup over the hot knafeh, scatter with pistachios, and cut into squares.