Kunafa — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Shredded filo dough baked to a shattering golden crust over a molten layer of stretchy sweet cheese, drenched in rose-scented sugar syrup. This legendary dessert is pure decadence in every gooey, crunchy bite.

Ingredients

500g kunafa dough (kataifi)
400g akkawi or nabulsi cheese, soaked and desalted
200g ricotta cheese
1 cup melted butter
For syrup: 2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp rose water
1 tbsp orange blossom water
Crushed pistachios for garnish

Instructions

1 Soak akkawi cheese in water for at least 6 hours, changing water every 2 hours to remove excess salt. Drain, shred, and mix with ricotta.
2 Make syrup by boiling sugar, water, and lemon juice for 8 minutes. Add rose water and orange blossom water, stir, and cool completely.
3 Process kunafa dough briefly to break up strands. Toss thoroughly with melted butter until every strand is well coated and golden-colored.
4 Press two-thirds of the buttered dough firmly into a round baking pan, creating a compact, even base and pressing up the sides slightly.
5 Spread the cheese mixture evenly over the dough base. Top with the remaining buttered dough, pressing gently to create a flat top layer.
6 Bake at 180C for 35-40 minutes until deeply golden and crispy. Immediately pour cold syrup over the hot kunafa, invert onto a platter, and garnish with crushed pistachios.

Did You Know?

In Jordan, kunafa is so beloved that shops specializing only in this dessert have lines out the door during Ramadan evenings.