Kunefe

5 from 5 votes

My homemade Kunefe recipe is made with buttery kadayif pastry, soft stretchy cheese, simple syrup, and a generous sprinkle of pistachios.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Turkish

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: portions

Calories: 670kcal

For making the simple syrup, add the sugar and water to a pan.
Bring it to a boil and gently simmer it on low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Add a few drops of lemon juice and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool down to room temperature while cooking the kadaif pastry.

Roughly chop the kadaif pastry into small pieces and mix well with the melted butter.
If using molasses, mix it with 10 grams of soft butter and generously butter the bottom of the sahan pan with half of the mixture.
Scatter half of the kadaif pastry over butter and press it down with your palms until solid and firm.
Shred the cheese and spread it over the kadaif pastry evenly, leaving one cm around the edges.
Cover the cheese with the rest of the kadaif pastry and press it down until firm and even.

Place the sahan pan over medium heat and 30 seconds later, turn it down to the lowest.
Cook it until golden brown while pressing firmly with something flat. This would take 10 to 12 minutes.
Turn over the künefe on a flat plate. To do that, put the plate face down over the sahan pan and then flip it over the plate cooked side up.
Generously butter the sahan pan with the remaining soft butter and then slip the Künefe back into the pan.
Cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, until nicely browned, pressing firmly to keep the kunefe evenly flat.
Remove the sahan pan from the heat and add the syrup (at room temperature).
Garnish with chopped Pistachio nuts and serve immediately

Kunefe is best served hot while the cheese is still soft and stretchy.
The pastry should be hot and the syrup should be cool when you pour it over. This helps keep the texture crisp.
Use unsalted stretchy cheese for the best result. Kunefe cheese, Hatay cheese, Dil Peyniri, and mozzarella all work.
If using fresh mozzarella, drain it well and pat it dry before adding it to the pastry.
You can prepare the syrup ahead and keep it at room temperature for up to 1 month.
You can assemble the kunefe and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days before cooking.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.