Cream Kunafa is an iconic Middle Eastern dessert made with shredded phyllo pastry, stuffed with cream, baked till golden brown, doused in an aromatic syrup and enjoyed warm for the best flavour. This kunafa recipe with cream is so easy to put together and stunning to serve for any celebration. Video included.
My first cream kunafa experience was in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. I loved the warm, soft and creamy melt-in-the-mouth delicious dessert. But when we travelled to Khobar, the kunafa there was so crispy and crunchy!
I loved both but only much later in life, did I learn that there are different types of knafeh. From the texture to the filling to the shape, you will find many varieties!
All of June 2018 I made a lot of Kunafa in my Yanbu kitchen. I had picked a fresh bag of kunafa dough aka kataifi from the local bakery and there was no stopping me. I didn't own an oven so made them on the stovetop and I realized it is such a simple dessert!
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What is Kunafa?
Kunafa is one of the most popular desserts in Middle East countries. Like most Arabic recipes, there is more than one way to pronounce or spell it - I have come across kunafa, kunafeh, knafe or knafeh!
This Arabic sweet dish is a wonderful combination of a crispy crust, creamy filling and aromatic syrup. The shapes range from the sandwiched crust to single-layer top crust, rolls to cones. UAE surprised me with the single-layer top-crusted kunafa! I feel they lack the soul! 🤣
There are three components to any kind of Kunafa:
- Crust
- Filling
- Syrup
crust
The crust texture of a kunafa can vary from fine to rough. The fine-textured ones are called knafeh na'ameh and these are popular in Lebanon. For the fine version, the shredded dough is processed to make it resemble crumbs. The rough-textured is called knafeh khesneh for which they use the shreds as is.
fillings
The fillings range from cheese, cream, ashta, and even nuts. I tried adding mozzarella in the Eid day kunafa, and though all loved it, I still prefer the cream version.
syrup
The syrup is usually flavoured with rose water and orange blossom water.
As I don't make desserts too often and when I do, it is grand and we end up eating all of it and skip the next meal. 😂As soon as Ramadan started, I was craving to "make" my kunafa now that I have an oven too. I was hunting for the fresh bakery kunafa dough but settled with a kilo of a frozen one. On a late night after Taraweeh, I made this cream kunafa and we ate most of it for suhoor. 🤤
I made it again for Eid for my friend who filmed me flipping and garnishing the kunafa you see in the video. Though I was ready to share the recipe here, we got glued to watching Ertugrul. 😄 I made it again for our wedding anniversary and captured the steps so that I can blog a detailed recipe. Did you notice the two hearts of roses? 🥰
Which cream should we use?
I am glad I delayed publishing this recipe because I got to make the cream filling with three different creams - the hot question I always get asked is - "which cream should we use?" I have tried with fresh cream, tin cream and the latest was heavy or whipping cream. All three tasted great!
Cream Kunafa Ingredients
Today I am sharing our favourite kind of Kunafa which is between fine and rough. 😎The cream filling is almost my Layali Lubnan but creamier. The syrup has a hint of cardamom, rose water and orange blossom water!
- sugar: regular white granulated sugar
- full-fat milk: You may use fresh or milk powder milk.
- cream: You may use heavy or whipping cream or fresh cream or tin cream
- semolina: helps to thicken the cream and so we don't have to use too much cornflour
- cornflour: thickener
- mastic: An edible gum that is highly recommended for its taste and aroma. I was asked if gond can be used instead. No, you cannot use gond instead of mastic. If you can’t source mastic, skip it.
- kunafa dough: Fresh or frozen. If you cannot source this shredded filo pastry dough in your region, there are ways to make kunafa dough at home too. (link below)
- ghee: use after melting
- cardamom: use one whole
- lemon juice: just a splash for the syrup
- rose water: to flavour both syrup and cream
- orange blossom water: to flavour both syrup and cream. Optional but recommended. Skip if you cannot source.
- dried rose petals: to garnish
- pistachios: to garnish
How to make cream kunafa?
In a gist, here are the steps involved in making cream kunafa from start to finish.
- Prepare the syrup first so that it is completely cooled before you can use it.
- Prepare the cream filling and let that cool too.
- Lastly, prepare the dough and then assemble the kunafa in a greased pan.
- Bake only close to the serving time as this is best had warm.
- Pour the cooled syrup over the hot out-of-oven kunafa and let it rest for 10 minutes before you can flip it to the serving platter.
- Watch the video to see how I flipped it.
- Pour more syrup and garnish with a choice of nuts and rose petals if possible.
- Serve with more syrup on the side.
Now, take a look at the step-by-step pictures to make cream kunafa.
Syrup and filling
Boil the syrup ingredients without stirring the mixture until all the sugar dissolves. Reduce the flame to low and let it simmer for 5 to 8 minutes only. Switch off and stir in the rose water and orange blossom water.
Transfer the syrup to a mug to cool completely. The syrup may look very watery but it will thicken as it cools. You may make the syrup a day ahead and refrigerate it.
Whisk together milk, cream, semolina, sugar, mastic and cornflour until well combined without any visible lumps. Bring this to a boil on a medium flame while whisking constantly to prevent it from sticking to the bottom and burning. Whisk on low to medium flame for about 5 minutes or until it starts to thicken.
Switch off and stir in the rose water and orange blossom water and keep aside. The filling will thicken more while cooling. This too can be made ahead and refrigerated.
Crush the dough using your hands while frozen or use a mixie to do the job but make sure it is not super fine. We need texture. Pour ¼ cup of melted ghee and use a long fork to rub the dough with ghee.
Add the remaining ghee and make sure every strand of the dough is coated with ghee. You can switch to a rubber spatula and do the folding method to ensure an even coating. Take time for this step as this is what makes a baked kunafa soft and crispy.
Grease an 8-inch pan with ghee all over and on the sides. Transfer ⅔ of the prepared dough onto the greased pan and spread it to cover the bottom. Use a small flat-bottomed mug or cup to help you with flattening the crust evenly.
Spread the crust to the sides of the pan too like a wall around the pan. This will encase the cream filling that we will add. Make sure there are no cracks in the bottom and that it is even throughout.
Don't go to the next step until your crust is firm and neat.
Crust
Pour the prepared and cooled cream filling into the crust. Spread the filling evenly across the crust using the back of a spoon.
Spread the remaining kunafa dough carefully and lightly all over the cream filling. Make sure no cream is visible.
Preheat the oven to 200℃ with the rack on level 2. Bake the kunafa for 35 to 40 minutes or until the top and sides of the kunafa are deep golden brown in colour and have pulled away from the sides of the pan. If you notice the sides brown and released much earlier, then reduce the temperature to 180℃ for the remaining time.
Remove from the oven and immediately pour the cooled sugar syrup into a thin stream making sure to cover the entire surface. Reserve the remaining syrup for later. Let it rest in the pan itself for 10 minutes before you can flip it.
Flip onto a serving platter. Keep the serving platter on the cake pan, hold with both hands and flip so that the cake pan is on top now. Remove the pan to reveal the beautifully baked kunafa.
Garnish with dried rose petals and crushed pistachios. Use the reserved syrup to serve along with the warm kunafa.
How do you warm up Kunafa?
I had the same doubt and have tried all methods possible to get the best re-warm of leftovers. I find reheating in an oven or stove-top is the best. Do not microwave as it makes the entire thing soft and loses all the crispiness. You don't have to cover it while reheating in the oven or stovetop. I slide back the leftovers into the same cake pan and reheat over low flame over a flat pan or heat diffuser for just 5 to 8 minutes.
How to reheat kunafa in the oven?
To warm up any leftover kunafa using the oven, preheat heat the oven to 375 F/190C and place the leftover kunafa in an oven-safe pan and bake for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
Do you have some more kunafa dough left? Try my easy-to-make Ekmek Kataifi
Related
Looking for recipes to use up shredded phyllo pastry? (aka kunafa dough or kataifi)
📖 Recipe
Cream Kunafa
Ingredients
For the Aromatic Sugar Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 green cardamom
- a squeeze of lemon
- ¼ teaspoon rose water
- ¼ teaspoon orange blossom water
For the Knafeh Cream Filling
- 1 cup full-fat milk
- ½ cup whipping cream or fresh cream or tin cream
- 1 tablespoon semolina
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 2 mastic beads crushed (optional but recommended)
- ½ teaspoon rose water
- ½ teaspoon orange blossom water
For the Kunafa dough
- 250 grams kunafa dough use frozen. If using fresh, freeze overnight to make it easy
- ½ cup melted ghee
- ghee or butter to grease the pan
For garnish
- dried rose petals
- slivered pistachios
Instructions
Prepare the sugar syrup (You may make this a day ahead and refrigerate)
- Add the sugar, water, lemon juice and cardamom to a deep saucepan and bring to a boil. Do not stir this at any point. Let it boil until all the sugar dissolves.1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup water, a squeeze of lemon, 1 green cardamom
- Reduce the flame to low and let it simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Switch off and stir in the rose water and orange blossom water.¼ teaspoon rose water, ¼ teaspoon orange blossom water
- Transfer the syrup into a mug to cool completely.
Prepare the Cream filling (You may make this ahead and refrigerate)
- Whisk together milk, cream, semolina, sugar, and cornflour until well combined without any visible lumps.1 cup full-fat milk, ½ cup whipping cream, 1 tablespoon semolina, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon cornflour
- Bring this to a boil on a medium flame while constantly whisking to prevent the cream from sticking to the bottom and getting burnt. Stir in the crushed mastic.2 mastic beads
- Whisk on low to medium flame for about 5 minutes or until it starts to thicken (it will thicken more while cooling).
- Switch off and stir in the rose water and orange blossom water and keep aside.½ teaspoon rose water, ½ teaspoon orange blossom water
Prepare the Kunafa Crust
- Crush the dough using your hands while frozen or use a mixie to do the job but make sure it is not super fine. We need texture.250 grams kunafa dough
- Pour ¼ cup of melted ghee and use a long fork or gloves to rub the dough with ghee. Add the remaining ghee and make sure every strand of the dough is coated with ghee. You can switch to a rubber spatula and do the folding method to ensure an even coating. Take time for this process as this is what makes a baked kunafa soft and crispy.½ cup melted ghee
- Grease an 8-inch pan with ghee all over and on the sides.ghee or butter
- Transfer ⅔ of the prepared dough onto the greased pan and spread it to cover the bottom. Use a small flat-bottomed mug or cup to help you with flattening the crust evenly. Spread the crust to the sides of the pan too like a wall around the pan. This will encase the cream filling that we will add. Make sure there are no cracks in the bottom and that it is even throughout. Don't go to the next step until your crust is firm and neat.
- Pour the prepared cream filling into the crust. Spread the filling evenly across the crust using the back of a spoon.
- Spread the remaining kunafa dough carefully and lightly all over the cream filling. Make sure no cream is visible.
- Use the spoon to lightly press down around the edge to seal the crust.
Bake the Kunafa with cream
- Preheat the oven to 200℃ with the rack on level 2.
- Bake the kunafa for 35 to 40 minutes or until the top and sides of the kunafa are deep golden brown and has pulled away from the sides of the pan. If you notice the sides brown and released much earlier, then reduce the temperature to 180℃ for the remaining time.
- Remove from the oven and immediately pour the cooled sugar syrup into a thin stream making sure to cover the entire surface. Reserve the remaining syrup for later.
- Let it rest in the pan itself for 10 minutes.
- Flip onto a serving platter. Keep the serving platter on the cake pan, hold it with both hands and flip it so that the cake pan is on top now. Remove the pan to reveal the beautifully baked kunafa.
- Garnish with dried rose petals and crushed pistachios.dried rose petals, slivered pistachios
Serve Kunafa warm
- Use the reserved syrup to serve along with the warm kunafa.
- Cut the kunafa using the knifepoint and stab across till the edge and repeat the other side and use a cake server to remove the cut piece and serve.
- Store any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat the stovetop on a flat pan. Do not microwave.
Video
Recipe adapted from Celobuttera.
NME says
I'm making this as I write! Your photography skills and writing skills are amazing and I hope the Knafeh will be too! WIll let you know 😀
Famidha Ashraf says
Thank you! I can't wait to hear back. All the best!
NME says
Salaam Famidha... well we made it! Alhumdulillah it was delicious and so perfect, - there was no left overs! It doesn't look exactly the same but it was good enough for us!
Thank you so much for taking the time to write up the recipe and sharing your knowledge 😀 and here's a photo:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/sQ8mpczQNR3rPmef9
Famidha Ashraf says
Wa'alaikum salam! Alhamdulillah! I saw the photo, thank you for sharing the link. What are you saying? it looks more than perfect and pretty! No leftovers is a good sign and all that I want to hear. 🙂
Niya says
Hi if we want to do the mozzarella version, what changes do we make?
Famidha Ashraf says
Hi Niya, I use this exact recipe along with some shredded moz cheese. You will first, add moz cheese and then the cream filling then cover with more dough and bake. If only moz is added then I found the cheese becomes hard while it starts to cool... making it unpleasant to eat kunafa. if you are sure to serve it warm, then just mix moz with sugar and use. Bake and serve immediately. hope this helps.