Merhaba From Türkiye👋
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Künefe or kanafeh or kunafeh or kunafah or ... I don't know any other names of it.. But basically, it's a sweet pastry made from wiry kadaif filled/ layered with unsalty soft cheese and soaked in sugar syrup. Served hot or at room temperature.
Künefe is popular in Turkey and in some Mediterranean countries (as aformer Ottoman Empire).
In Turkey, some cities (like Hatay, Adana, Mersin, Sanliurfa, Mardin) had claimed where thisKünefe originated from. But according to sourcesKünefe originally from Arabian.The soldiers of the Ottoman Empire which were sent on the road to the establishment of the Republic have gone to Yemen.Some of the troops here had made some "sweets/ dessert" and then later when they (ottoman soldiers) have returned to their home they started to learn making this dessert. Künefe came to Mersin the end of the year 1930, and to Hatay at 1940s.
I ate this sweet pastry the first time a few years ago when I got to Turkey for 1st time ( I think it was around 2008). And my first impression was this dessert was away too sweet for me.. any Turkish dessert was too sweet for me as they mostly soaked in thick sugar syrup.
But after a few years of living here slowly, my taste has adapted, but still, I eat some sweets in moderation.
This popular and everybody's favorite dessert is surprisingly easy to make. Here I use a plate specially for makingKünefe. It has about 15 cm in diameter with deep-set in the middle part (around 12 mm depth). But feel free to use baking tray or pan.
The recipe I saw from one of TV program I saw, and.. there wasn't an exact amount of ingredients used. You need to know that this künefe has a thin layer with a cheese layer in between. Press the kadaif pretty hard to make it solid and flat.
yeaah... for me who living in Turkey, it's very easy for me to get this dessert around the corner, but again, since I'm living here -which is easy to access to all ingredients - I want to experience (not mastered though) how to make this famous dessert for my family.
So for you who wants to experience Turkish dessert for your family... here recipe I use:
Serve 3~4 plate diameter 15cm
Ingredients:
For thick sugar syrup (make ahead):
- 650~700 gr sugar
- 400 ml water
- 1 tsp corn syrup (optional)
- 1/2 lemon, juiced, and zest.
⇒Mix all ingredients and heat until rolling boil. Chill to room temperature until ready to use.
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| I use unsalted string cheese |
For kadayif pastry:
- About 350 gr stale wiry kadayif*
- about 400 gr good quality butter, soften at room temperature
- 2 Tbsp molasses ( I use grape molasses)
- "künefe soft cheese" unsalted (here mostly people useHatay cheeseor string cheese)
- Pistachio and clotted cream (turk; kaymak) for serving.
(*) I use fresh kadayif then keep at room temperature and unwrap so it gets dry a bit.
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| Kadayıf string |
How to make:
1. Roughly chopped kadayif into smaller part
2. Mix soften butter with grape molasses. Take yourkünefeplate (or use baking tray or cast ironpan), generously rub with butter.
3. Scatter chopped kadayif over butter. I didn't measure exactly how many grams (around 50 gr each layer). Then press firmly with your palms or something flat and heavy so you will get firm and solid layer.
4. Layer the cheese evenly over kadayıf.
5) Again cover with kadayif and press firmly.
6) Heat over a low flame while pressing the surface with something flat. Cook until brown, you can see the edge become brown andkünefecan easily separate from plate.
7. Now this is a little bit tricky step.... How to turn over yourkünefe. Take one flat plate, put face down overkünefe plater then with fast movement flip over those plates... taddaaa...
8. Generously rub againkünefe plater with butter before slip over yourkünefe.
9. Cook other side over low heat evenly until golden brown. Once off from stove, generously flushkünefe with sugar syrup.
Serve warm or room temperature. Sprinkle with chopped/ powdered pistachio and dollop of clotted cheese (kaymak).
I skip kaymak because I think I already gain some big calories with this dessert (^,^)
Warning:
- This food is highly recommended while you visit Turkey, especially to these area: Hatay, Sanliurfa, Gaziantep, Mardin, Adana, Mersin and around that area (^,^)
- Do not think about your diet program while enjoy this.
- Note and bookmark this recipe cause it's addictive dessert, you might want it again and again (^,^)
If you making this recipe, please let me know.
Use hashtag#citrashomediary_recipeand tag me 😊Send me some💚
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FAQs
Baklava and Kunafa are both delicious Middle Eastern desserts that are popular in their own right. While baklava is made with layers of phyllo pastry and chopped nuts, kunafa is made with shredded phyllo dough or semolina pastry and a variety of fillings such as cheese, nuts, or cream.
What is the difference between kunefe and Kadayif? ›
Kadayıf is thin fibers of dough, a simple mix of water and flour. Künefe or kanafeh in Arabic is a traditional Arab cheese pastry. The unsalted cheese in between the two layers of kadayıf is the essence. It is freshly baked, soaked in sweet syrup and served warm with grinded pistachio dressing.
Is kunafa Turkish or Arabic? ›
Knafeh (Arabic: كنافة) is a traditional Arabic dessert, made with spun pastry called kataifi, soaked in a sweet, sugar-based syrup called attar, and typically layered with cheese, or with other ingredients such as clotted cream, pistachio or nuts, depending on the region. It is popular in the Middle East.
What is Kanafeh in English? ›
Meaning of knafeh in English
a sweet food consisting of layers of pastry and soft cheese in a thick liquid made from sugar, originally eaten in the Middle East: Mike first introduced me to knafeh when we were on our honeymoon in Amman.
Why baklava is so expensive? ›
Ingredients: High-quality baklava is made with premium ingredients, including nuts (typically pistachios or walnuts), butter, sugar, and phyllo dough. The cost of these ingredients can be significant, especially when using top-quality nuts. Labor-Intensive: Making baklava is a labor-intensive process that requires.
What is the difference between Kadayif and baklava? ›
Burma Kadayıf is a circular sweet pastry commonly made in Turkish cuisine. Instead of having layers of phyllo pastry, such as in baklava, it has shredded phyllo pastry called 'kadayıf' or 'kataifi'. 'Burma' is Turkish for 'twisting' and refers to how the noodle-shaped pastry is twisted around the nuts.
Why is Kunafa so good? ›
Also called Kanafeh, a middle-eastern dessert that is very sweet, usually due to the sugar/honey water that is poured over the semolina fine “noodles” with a special ricotta cheese that is melted and binds the noodles to become a kind of a sweet omelet pie, fried on a pan.
Is kataifi the same as baklava? ›
What is the difference between baklava and kataifi? The difference between baklava and kataifi is that the former is made with sheets of phyllo dough, while the latter is made with shredded phyllo dough. Kataifi is made by shredding phyllo dough into fine, hair-like strands, then rolled up with nuts in the center.
Is Kunefe Greek or Turkish? ›
Kunefe is one of the most popular Turkish desserts. Antep kunefe & baklava & lokum are among the most preferred desserts when a dessert from Turkish cuisine is desired after the meal. All these desserts are prepared with the utmost care and served at Mama Fatma.
Do Turkish people eat kunafa? ›
While a similar dish, knafeh, is found throughout the Middle East, künefe is distinctly Turkish, believed to have originated in Hatay and made specifically with the province's namesake cheese, which is similar to fresh mozzarella.
It is a traditional dessert in the Levant, and is popular in countries such as Syria, Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan. In Turkey, it is called künefe. Different variants of the dish exist in Palestinian, Turkish, Iranian, and Greek cuisine.
What are the two types of kunafa? ›
Knafeh or kunafa is a pastry-like dessert hailing from the Middle East. This sweet cheese dish comes in a variety of forms and is typically served for Iftar, the breaking of the fast during Ramadan. There are two different types of Knafeh: na'ameh and khishneh.
What is the difference between cream kunafa and cheese kunafa? ›
A cheese kunafa is usually served warm, whereas a kunafa with cream is served chilled or at room temperature. How to make kataifi pastry for kunafa? The crispy kataifi pastry used to make this dish is made from flour, cornflour, salt, vegetable oil, and water.
What is the difference between baklava and kataifi? ›
What is the difference between baklava and kataifi? The difference between baklava and kataifi is that the former is made with sheets of phyllo dough, while the latter is made with shredded phyllo dough. Kataifi is made by shredding phyllo dough into fine, hair-like strands, then rolled up with nuts in the center.
What's the difference between baklava and Turkish baklava? ›
The baklava Greek region has a much softer texture due to the thick syrup. On the other hand, the Turkish baklava, with its thicker, heavier dough and filling entirely with pistachios, has a more substantial, chewy texture and a rich, nutty flavor.
What is another name for baklava? ›
Greek baklava (Greek: Μπακλαβάς) comes in many regional guises, with different names such as samousades, zournadakia, and masourakia. Generally speaking, in southern Greece baklava is mostly made with chopped almonds and in the north with walnuts. Some recipes use hazelnuts, sesame or raisins.
