Kunafa ~A middle eastern dessert

A New beginning , a new year .Let’s welcome 2018 with a middle eastern dessert Kunafa . A crispy ,buttery shredded pastry (fillo)filled with creamy cheese served with sugar syrup.

2017 was Alhmdhulila good year  for me and my blog.I have tried my best to post a variety recipe in last year . Coming to today’s recipe one of the most widely seen dessert in middle east.. we can say Queen of middle eastern dessert. There are variety of method in making these some use cream cheese,mozzarella, Ashta(creamy thick milk pudding made with cornflour and milk).. I have tried all but I dint get the exact texture of the filling used in  kunafa… Then came across this recipe in youtube where the traditional Lebanese sweet shop making kunafa with a akkawi cheese ( It is soft unripened brine cheese with a chewy, smooth consistency and a very mild, slightly salty flavour). Then I came across this cheese in choitram and made with it it was yum.. I have mixed this cheese with cream cheese  also you can also substiture with mozrella instead of cream cheese .I have added it to get a creamy texture.

I would say that Akkawi  cheese is a secret ingredient used that gives exact texture. Its slightly thick and salty so prior to preparation we need to soak them in cold water and replace water for 2 hours to remove the salt content from it.

Kunafa ~A middle eastern dessert

A crispy ,buttery shredded pastry (fillo)filled with creamy cheese served with sugar syrup.A queen of middle eastern dessert

Course dessert

Cuisine arabic

Servings 6 person

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30-35 minutes

Ingredients

• 500 gm kunafa pastry thawed and crushed in mixie
• 400 gm Akkawi cheese
• 100 gm cream cheese
• 1 cup butter melted required to wet the pastry
• orange food colour

For sugar syrup

• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp rose water/orange blossom water

Instructions

Prepare Sugar syrup

1. Boil water and sugar until it's sticky then add lemon juice and rose water. Allow it to cool.

Prepare filling

1. The day before, slice the akkawi thick slabs. In a plastic container, cover with water to soak overnight in the refrigerator to desalt the cheese. Change the water several times the first day.
2. Drain the cheese and pat dry and grate it .Then mix together grated cheese and cream cheese until smooth

Pastry preparation

1. . Remove from package and cut into four sections. In a food processor, gently grind one quarter of the thawed pastry at a time with a few pulses keeping it coarse.
2. Place pastry in a large bowl and gradually pour the melted butter over top and mix well until well coated.

Layering

1. In a greased pan add the Orange food colour and spread it then layer with prepared cheese tightly then layer it with the kunafa dough and press it firm
2. Bake @180°c for 30 -35 minutes until top is browned..
3. Immediately after removing from oven pour the prepared sugar syrup and serve.