Kunafa
| Serves: 8-10 people | Recipe course: Desserts | Total time (min.): 85 | Complexity (1 to 3): 2 |
A popular Middle Eastern pastry dessert that combines shredded pastry strands (also called kataifi pastry) with a cheese and thickened semolina cream filling, topped with crushed pistachios and soaked in a sweet sugar syrup – often delicately scented with rose water or orange blossom.
Ingredients
450g kunafa dough, broken
150g ghee, melted
230ml whole milk
115ml whipping cream
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp semolina
1 tbsp cornflour
½ tsp rose water
¼ tsp orange blossom water
600g mozzarella cheese
200 g caster sugar
100ml water
2 tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp orange blossom water
2 cardamon pods
120 g pistachios
Dried rose petals, as needed
Method
1 - Lightly grease a 20cm (8”) springform tin.
2 - Assemble the Food Processor attachment to the high-speed outlet of the mixer.
3 - Fit the Fine slicing disc, attach the lid and ensure it is locked into place.
4 - Gradually slice the kunafa dough into the Food Processor bowl.
5 - Empty the shredded kunafa mixture into a large mixing bowl and add the melted ghee.
6 - Stir until thoroughly coated.
7 - Transfer two-thirds of the mixture into the prepared springform tin. Using a spoon or spatula, spread the mixture out evenly to cover the base of the tin and up the sides. Ensure there are no visible holes and set aside.
8 - Pre-heat the oven to 200ºC.
9 - Add the milk, cream, sugar, semolina, cornflour, rose water, and orange blossom water into a medium saucepan, and stir until thoroughly combined.
10 - Place over a medium-high heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Reduce to a medium heat and stir for another 5 minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 5-10 minutes.
11 - Retrieve and clean the Food Processor attachment, assemble to the machine.
12 - Fit the Coarse grating disc, attach the lid and ensure it is locked into place.
13 - Grate the remaining item of Ingredients 2 (mozzarella) int the Food Processor bowl. Remove the food processor attachment from the machine.
14 - Transfer half of the cooled cream mixture into the springform tin. Sprinkle the grated mozzarella and then top with the remaining cream mixture.
15 - Cover the filling with the remaining one-third of the shredded kunafa dough. Press down lightly with the back of a spoon to make the top crust layer level and firm.
16 - Bake at 200ºC for 40-50 minutes until golden brown.
17 - Add the sugar, water, lemon juice, orange blossom water, and cardamon pods into a small saucepan. Place over a medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
18 - Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the liquid has reduced by half.
19 - Remove the saucepan from the heat and use a spoon to remove the cardamon pods.
20 - Pour the syrup into a jug and leave to cool.
21 - Remove the cooked kunafa from the oven and pour two-thirds of the cooled syrup evenly over the kunafa. Reserve the remaining syrup for later.
22 - Allow the kunafa to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
23 - Assemble the Food Processor attachment to the high-speed outlet of the mixer and fit the knife blade.
24 - Add the pistachios into the Food Processor bowl and attach the lid.
25 - Pulse until the pistachios are finely chopped. Remove the attachment from the machine.
26 - Whilst the kunafa is warm, turn upside down onto a serving plate. Garnish with the chopped pistachio and dried rose petals.
27 - Serve warm or at room temperature with the remaining syrup. Leftovers can be store in a refrigerator and then re-warmed in the oven.