3 Ingredient Cheese Kunafa Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What cheese is kunafa made of? ›

Traditionally, kunafa is made with akawi cheese, a salty Halloumi-like cheese common in the Middle East, but as it requires 48 hours of soaking time to draw out the salt, I have suggested the more readily available mozzarella, which gives a similar result.

There are two different types of Knafeh: na'ameh and khishneh. It combines the flavours of regional cheeses, pistachios, cream, and a floral syrup into a universally loved dessert.

Knafeh (Arabic: كنافة) is a traditional Arabic dessert, made with spun pastry called kataifi, soaked in a sweet, sugar-based syrup called attar, and typically layered with cheese, or with other ingredients such as clotted cream, pistachio or nuts, depending on the region. It is popular in the Middle East.

Initially, if you want to get your taste buds acquainted, we suggest you go for the Classic cheese Kunafa dessert. The best ingredients and culinary skills are celebrated in this masterpiece. Enjoy layers of tender, golden Kunafa pastry that enfold a sumptuous, ooey-gooey cheese filling.

Kunafa is a sugar-soaked pastry popular in many Arabic nations.

Now, if you're not familiar with kunafa, it's quite simply a dessert pie and there are many variations across the Arabic restaurants in town. So there's crunchy crust or soft, there's cheese or clotted cream, the Egyptians even do versions with mango or banana.

Sandwiched between two layers of crispy nests is the soft kunafa filling. This velvety filling is made with thick cream and whipping cream and is as such wonderfully rich. Just like the homemade syrup, it has been flavoured with orange blossom water.

Baklava and Kunafa are both delicious Middle Eastern desserts that are popular in their own right. While baklava is made with layers of phyllo pastry and chopped nuts, kunafa is made with shredded phyllo dough or semolina pastry and a variety of fillings such as cheese, nuts, or cream.

Künefe is a crispy cheese-filled dessert made with kadayıf (kah-dah-YUF'), which is a traditional shredded wheat dessert with pistachio filling. Künefe is served hot out of the oven so the cheese is soft and stringy.

Like many other desserts, Knafeh isn't considered a healthy food due to its high sugar, fat, and calorie content. Made with pastry and drenched in a sweet sugary syrup.

What is Arabic sweet called? ›

Traditional Arabic Sweets and Desserts

Kanafeh (Middle Eastern Cheese and Phyllo Dessert) Semolina Cake. Honey cake. Asafiri (Semolina Pancakes Stuffed with Cream) Halva (Sesame Candy)

Let the konafa rest for 10 minutes to allow for the syrup to soak in, then flip on to a serving platter.

Jibneh Arabieh (Arabic for "Arab cheese") is also referred to as jibneh baida ("white cheese"). It is found throughout the Middle East and is particularly popular in Egypt and Eastern Arabia. It is a fresh cheese with a milky quality, a pronounced saltiness, medium-firmness, and excellent meltability.

Labneh is a soft Middle Eastern cheese made from strained yogurt. It's surprisingly easy to make, and it's really versatile. Serve it as a dip with good-quality olive oil and za'atar, or add it to salads, pizzas, sandwiches, and more!

The cheese has a mild taste similar to feta but less salty. The heritage of the product started with Bedouins using goat or sheep milk; however, current practice is to use cow's milk to make the cheese. Jibneh Arabieh is used for cooking, or simply as a table cheese.

It is commonly used as a table cheese eaten by itself or paired with fruit. The texture can be compared to mozzarella, feta or a mizithra, since it does not melt easily. Akkawi can be stored up to a year.