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Authentic Kunāfah Recipe Egypt, Africa
JUMP TO RECIPEWe strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Often dubbed the queen of Arab sweets, kunāfah or konafa is rather simple to prepare — that is if all the ingredients are available. The process starts with kunāfah dough, which is soaked with butter or sometimes ghee (clarified butter) and divided in half. The first half is then spread on a round-shaped tin to cover the bottom and the sides. Since there are two ways to serve kunāfah — inverted or straight from the pan — the topping made from chopped pistachios or other nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, is placed on either top or the bottom of the kunāfah. The filling for the kunāfah is made from a mixture of cheese, or cream, and sugar. The best options are akkawi or nabuleh, mild Middle-Eastern soft cheeses, or regular heavy cream. The cheese/cream mixture is distributed evenly over the first half of the dough, covered with another half of the dough, and baked in a pre-heated oven. If the kunāfah is served straight from the baking pan,... Read more
Serve With
Cooking tips
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kunāfah dough
The kunāfah dough is available in three basic types: khishnah, made from long and thin noodle threads; na'ama, made from semolina; and mhayara, which is a mix of the two. Most recipes call for pre-made, store-bought dough, but it can also be replaced with a Turkish variety called kadaif, which resembles thin threads. Since the dough is usually sold refrigerated, it needs to be left at room temperature ... Read more -
filling
Originally, the filling for a kunāfah is made from akkawi or nabuleh, soft cheeses made from pasteurized cow’s, sheep’s, or goat’s milk. Since they can be slightly salted, they need to be left in water overnight and sifted before preparation. Also, the filling can be prepared with a mixture of sugar and heavy cream, and Italian ricotta cheese filling also provides a satisfying result. -
sugar syrup
A simple mixture of sugar and water, which is brought to a boil and simmered until they start to thicken, can be aromatized with orange blossom water or rose water. It is poured over the kunāfah after it is baked and gives special juiciness to this dessert. -
toppings
Chopped pistachios, almonds, walnuts, and other nuts are sprinkled on top of the kunāfah. In some recipes, the nuts are applied before baking, and some suggest doing it after baking and before drizzling the kunāfah with sugar syrup.
Recipe variations
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Cream Kunāfah
Ready in 1h 40minWritten by the famous, Egyptian-born cookbook author Claudia Roden, this recipe was adapted from her The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, one of the many she wrote on the subject. In this variant, the filling is made with heavy cream, milk, sugar, and rice flour. Claudia Roden suggests using only half of the prepared sugar syrup for drizzling the kunāfah and serving the other half to the guests who like their kunāfah extra juicy.
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Ricotta Kunāfah
Ready in 1hThe following recipe shows how to make the kunāfah with ricotta cheese. Also, this recipe calls for more cheese than usual, and the sweetness can be adjusted to taste by using the amount of syrup to your liking. If you cannot find special kunāfah dough, substitute it with kataifi pastry, available in most oriental food stores.
Cream Kunāfah
PREP 40min
COOK 1h
READY IN 1h 40min
Written by the famous, Egyptian-born cookbook author Claudia Roden, this recipe was adapted from her The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, one of the many she wrote on the subject. In this variant, the filling is made with heavy cream, milk, sugar, and rice flour. Claudia Roden suggests using only half of the prepared sugar syrup for drizzling the kunāfah and serving the other half to the guests who like their kunāfah extra juicy.
Ingredients
Cream Kunāfah
SYRUP
2 ¼ cups (450g) sugar
1 ¼ cups (300 ml) water
2 tbsp orange-blossom water
CREAM FILLING
2/3 cup (105g) rice flour
5 cups (1.2 L) milk
4 tbsp sugar
2/3 cup (160g) heavy cream
PASTRY
1 lb (450g) kunāfah pastry
1 cup (220g) butter, melted
GARNISHING
2/3 cup (80g) pistachios, coarsely chopped
Preparation
1
Cream Kunāfah
Step 1/7
Prepare the syrup first by boiling the sugar, water and lemon juice for 8-10 minutes. Add orange-blossom water, cool to room temperature and place in the refrigerator.
Step 2/7
Now, prepare the filling. Make a smooth paste from rice flour and some milk, and boil the rest of the milk. Slowly add the rice flour paste to the boiling milk, constantly mixing, to prevent lumps from forming. Put the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 15-20 minutes until it becomes thick. Add the sugar and stir again. Allow to cool, and then add heavy cream.
Step 3/7
Drizzle the kunāfah pastry with melted butter and gently separate the strands to coat evenly.
Step 4/7
Take a 12-inch (35cm) round pie pan and spread half of the pastry on the bottom and sides. Pour the cream filling and cover with the other half of the pastry.
Step 5/7
Bake for 45 minutes at 350°F/180°C, and then for another 15 minutes at 425°F/220°C.
Step 6/7
Loosen the sides with a sharp knife, cover the kunāfah with a large plate, and turn out.
Step 7/7
Drizzle with cold sugar syrup and sprinkle with pistachios.
Other Variations
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Ricotta Kunāfah
Ready in 1hThe following recipe shows how to make the kunāfah with ricotta cheese. Also, this recipe calls for more cheese than usual, and the sweetness can be adjusted to taste by using the amount of syrup to your liking. If you cannot find special kunāfah dough, substitute it with kataifi pastry, available in most oriental food stores.
Other authentic recipes
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