Kunafa/ Knafeh - Easy Cream Kunafah
Ingredients
- 500 bm kunafa dough thawed
- 225 gm butter melted
- Crushed pistachios and rose petals for garnish
FOR SUGAR SYRUP
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- Juice of one lime
- 1 tbsp rose water
- 1 tbsp orange blossom water refer notes
FOR FILLING
- 2 cups milk
- 250 gm thick cream
- 2 tbsp semolina
- 3 tbsp corn flour
- 3 tbsp sugar
- A pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup cream cheese refer notes
- 1 tbsp rose water
- 1 tbsp orange blossom water
Instructions
- First of all, prepare the sugar syrup. Combine the sugar, water and lime juice in a saucepan and bring to boil. There is no need to stir.
- Keep the timer on 10 minutes, reduce the flame and allow the syrup to cook. Switch off, add the rose water and orange blossom water and allow to cool completely. You can prepare the syrup a week in advance.
- For the filling, in a saucepan, combine from milk to sugar and keep on low flame. Cook till the mixture thickens.
- Add the cheese and give a good stir. Make sure there are no lumps. Add the rose water and orange blossom water and switch off. Allow to cool completely.
- Shred the kunafa dough using a food processor or food scissors. Add the butter and rub into all the dough.
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Grease a 12 inch pie pan or a 9X13 sqare pan (I used a 9 inch and 6 inch pie pans) well with butter or ghee.
- Line with around 60% of the buttered kunafa dough. Press down and towards the sides.
- Spread the cooled filling evenly all over, with soft hands.
- Sprinkle the remaining kunafa dough to cover the filling and pat down with hands dipped in cold water.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. Switch on the grill and wait till the top is slightly browned.
- Take out of the oven and immediately flip onto a large plate. Pour the cold sugar syrup over till just covered. Reserve the remaining syrup to use while serving.
- Garnish with crushed pistachios and/or rose petals.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, as wished.
Notes
You can use ghee instead of butter for the kunafa dough.
You may use your choice of flavors for the sugar syrup and the filling, though rose water is a given.
Make sure the syrup is completely cool, otherwise it won't soak the kunafah.
Instead of cream cheese, you can add 6-10 cream cheese cubes into the mix. Make sure to mix well and break the lumps.