Knafeh (Kunafa) Recipe with Video

Knafeh is a classic Middle Eastern crunchy, buttery dessert made from shredded phyllo pastry with a layer of delicious homemade pastry cream called Qeshta and also pronounced Ishtah. Drizzled with simple syrup and garnished with chopped nuts, usually pistachios.   

Authentic Knafeh recipe, sometimes pronounced Kunafa, is a traditional Middle Eastern dessert usually filled with pastry cream (ashta or qeshta) or sweet Arabic cheeses like Nabulsi or Akkawi. These cheeses are similar to Mozzarella cheese.

Bake it until golden brown, then soak it with a simple syrup scented with rose water or orange blossom water. It’s a popular dessert for special occasions such as Eid or weddings. I also made a low-calorie kunafa with cream. The low-calorie version tastes similar to the authentic, and you won’t need a phyllo pastry but freshly prepared bread crumbs.

🥘 INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED

The ingredients to make a recipe of kunafa dessert is simple and minimal, you might find it a little difficult to get the shredded phyllo pastry, but you can order it online or find it in a Middle Eastern shop near you.

For the Knafeh Dough

Kunafa dough: This is probably the trickiest ingredient to get hold of; you can always find it in a Middle Eastern store.

Confectioner’s Sugar: You need confectioner’s sugar (also known as powder sugar) to toss the strands of Kunafa dough in.

Ghee: Ghee has a much stronger flavor than butter. Use it instead of substituting it with melted butter. However, if you can’t get ghee, go for melted butter.

For the Syrup

Sugar: This, of course, makes the base of our simple syrup.

Water: The other essential ingredient to make our simple sugar syrup.

Lemon juice: It won’t let the syrup crystallize.

Rose water:  We will use some to perfume the syrup. However, many people don’t like its smell or flavor, so you can omit it and still enjoy the Knafeh.

For the Egg-Free Pastry Cream

Whole milk is the foundation and basic ingredient for making pastry cream (Qeshta).

Heavy cream: To get you that exact flavor of authentic Qeshta without hours upon hours of work, I’ve used my secret ingredients – heavy cream! 

Cornstarch: It will thicken the milk-cream mixture to get the right consistency.

For Garnishing

Pistachios: Crushed pistachios are what’s used traditionally. But feel free to use any other nuts if you’re allergic to pistachios.

🔪 MAKING KNAFEH STE-BY-STEP

Making Kunafa can look intimidating, but it’s not. Watch my video or the step-by-step images below to see how simple and easy it is to make.

Prepare the Sugar Syrup

Step 1

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Mix it well and use medium-high heat to boil the mixture.

Step 2

Let it boil for 9 minutes, but if you want the syrup to be thicker, boil it for 13 minutes.

Step 3

Turn off the heat, add the rose water and lemon juice, and mix it well. Allow the syrup to come to room temperature before drizzling it on the Knafeh. 

Making the Pastry Cream

Step 1

Add all the pastry cream ingredients to a saucepan, i.e., the milk, heavy cream, and cornstarch, and mix them all well.

Step 2

Place the saucepan on medium heat and stir until it boils and the texture turns thick and creamy. Turn off the heat and keep aside.

Preparing the Kunafa Dough

Step 1

Chop the strands of the shredded phyllo dough into inch-long pieces (the video shows you exactly how I did it). Alternatively, you can place the dough in a food processor and pulse it thrice. 

Step 2

Place all the chopped Knafeh dough strands into a large bowl and try to separate the shredded Knafeh with your hands to stop them from sticking to each other.

Step 3

Add the confectioner’s sugar and mix with your hands so it’s evenly dispersed.

Step 4

Pour half the ghee onto the dough strands and mix it well. Coat all the dough with ghee by rubbing it between your fingers. Add the remaining half and repeat the process.

Assembling and Baking the Knafeh

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 400F/200C. Generously butter or grease a 10-inch or 9-inch baking dish. Even if the pan is nonstick, proceed with this step since it will give the Kunafa that beautiful golden color.

Step 2

Place more than half of the prepped Kunafa dough into the greased pan and distribute it evenly. Watch the video and the image below to learn how.

Step 3

Pour the pastry cream (Qeshta) you made over the prepped Kunafa layer and use a spatula to spread it evenly.

Step 4

Distribute the remaining knafeh dough over the pastry cream and gently press down with your hands. 

Step 5

Place the Knafeh in the oven and bake it for 30 to 50 minutes. The goal here is to make the bottom of the kunafa golden.

Step 6

Turn off the oven and turn on the broiler to give a golden color to the surface of the kunafa.

Step 7

Once the color of the knafeh crust is golden on the top as well, remove the Kunafa from the oven and let it cool in the baking pan for approximately 6 minutes.

Soak with Syrup and Garnish

Invert the Kunafa on a serving plate and pour the simple syrup evenly. Leave some syrup on the side. Some people love adding more syrup to their Kunafa. Garnish it with chopped or crushed pistachios.

💭 TIPS TO MAKE THE BEST KNAFEH

• Take the Kunafa dough out of the freezer 40 minutes before making the Kunafa. You can also place the frozen Knafeh dough in the fridge overnight to thaw.
• Do not use melted butter in this recipe; butter’s flavor is not as strong as ghee, and with butter, the Kunafa might burn from the bottom instead of getting a golden color.
• Ensure to preheat the oven; it is essential to make crispy and delicious Authentic Knafeh.
• Instead of making homemade pastry cream, you can use the one sold in the Middle Eastern stores called Qeshta.
• Never pour hot syrup over hot Knafeh. The Kunafa will turn soggy. (I would still eat it, though!)
• Some add food coloring to make the Kunafa look more appetizing. Add a few drops from the food coloring in the ghee and mix well, then add it to the dough if you wish to use food coloring.
• If you are allergic to pistachios, use other nuts instead.
• You can make both the syrup and the pastry cream in advance. Refrigerate the syrup for up to a month, but the cream can only be refrigerated for 3 days.

📖 DELICIOUS VARIATIONS 

Jibneh (Cheese-fillings): In some countries, like Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria, specific sweet cheese is used instead of ishtah. Popular ones include Akkawi or Nabulsi cheese. If you ever want to use these, soak them in water for at least 4 to 5 hours to draw out their saltiness since they’re naturally very salty. You can also use fresh mozzarella cheese.

Combination of cream and cheese: Some people prefer a combination and mix both the pastry cream (qeshta) with jibneh (cheese).

Contemporary versions: Nowadays, you’ll see people filling kunafah with chocolate, nuts, and even caramelized fruits such as apples.

Variations in Color: You’ll sometimes notice that the Kunafa you had was bright orange. This is because, in some countries, food coloring is added to it. If you prefer to add it, please read the notes in the recipe card below.

💬 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

🍲 MORE MIDDLE EASTERN DESSERT

🌡️ STORING AND REHEATING

You can store leftover Knafeh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. But just a fair warning, you’ll notice the pastry cream layer being absorbed by the Knafeh. 

You can reheat refrigerated Kunafa in the oven at 350F/180C. Place it in an oven-friendly dish for 7 to 10 minutes, depending on how big the slice is.

I recommend reheating it in an oven to a microwave as it’ll give you a better crunchy texture. But if you want to use a microwave, place it in a microwave-friendly dish and heat it for 20 to 30 seconds.

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