Turkish Künefe (The best!)

Very few desserts make an impression like Turkish Kunefe! Learn how to make one of the best homemade versions with this recipe. Undeniably – Unforgettably Delicious!

Turkish Künefe (The best!)

Heaven… I’m in heaven,
And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak.
And I seem to find the happiness I seek,
When we’re out together dancing cheek to cheek….

Cheek to cheek by Fred Astaire

® This is a RAS signature Recipe©

♦Prep time:10 min ♦Cook time:15 min ♦Yield: 12-14 servings ♦Also need enough downtime for thawing pastry and cooling the syrup.
 
I am using 2  Kunefe plates, each will serve 6.  The ingredients are divded between the batches while assembling. If you are using a large baking sheet or pan, adjust timing accordingly.

MORE INFORMATION on the INGREDIENTS, ORIGIN, COOKWARE, as well as images are available on the
Recipe Intro ↓ : Check it out or scroll down for the Recipe and Video⇓.

EAT AND TELL!!! Let us know if you tried– Turkish Künefe (The best!)

Turkish Künefe (The best!)

Author: Shana Shameer

Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 15 mins Total Time 25 mins

Servings: 12

Description

Crisp, golden-brown crust of butter-toasted shredded pastry (kadayif) that gives way to a decadent, molten core of stretchy, mild cheese. Finished with a drizzle of clove and lemon-scented sugar syrup and a generous dusting of hand-crushed Antep pistachios, this warm dessert offers a spectacular contrast of flavors and textures—a true showstopper to conclude your meal.

Ingredients:

Servings

• 454 gms Kadaif/ Kataifi / Kunafa Pastry (16 oz)
• 250 gms Turkish - low salt, fresh String Cheese (See intro page for details on the cheese used)
• 200 gms melted Unsalted butter (plus some for brushing the pans)
• ³⁄₄ cup Pistachio Kernels (raw, unsalted)
• Pistachio or Vanilla ice cream for serving (Optional)

Sugar Syrup:

• 1 cup Caster sugar
• ³⁄₄ cup purified Water
• ³⁄₄ Tbsp Lemon Juice, freshly squeezed
• 3 Cloves

Instructions

Video ON

1. First, prepare the sugar syrup: Add the sugar and water to a saucepan.
2. As it begins to boil, add the cloves and lemon juice.
3. Boil till it becomes a thin syrup. If using a candy thermometer, stop immediately when you reach 223-225°F. If you don't have a thermometer, don't worry, just boil it till it starts to look slightly thicker. Use a wooden spoon and lift some syrup from the saucepan. If it flows back in too quickly or is watery, it is not ready.  If a thicker but thin stream flows back down when you lift a wooden spoon. It should not be thickened like regular syrup, or you won't be able to pour it over your dessert later. It should be a perfect drizzling consistency, just slightly thicker than Maple syrup.
4. Set the syrup aside to cool completely.
5. Thaw the Kadair/Kunafa pastry according to package directions. Once thawed, it should be fresh and soft to the touch.
6. Rework the strands gently with your hands. Separate them and cut them into shorter strands either by hand or using kitchen scissors. Add this to a large bowl.
7. Melt the butter and pour enough of the butter to completely coat the pastry strands, without being ridiculously greasy.
8. Place the cheese in freshwater for 20 minutes if it has medium salt content, or simply rinse it gently if it is barely salted. (Remember, we want little or no salt in the cheese.) Place the cheese on kitchen paper to remove the water for a while, and then grate it.
9. Put the Pistachio kernels in a small food chopper and process till finely chopped. You may reserve a few, whole for decoration purposes.
10. Very lightly wipe the Kunefe plates or your baking sheet with butter. Divide the buttered pastry and place a firmly packed layer of the buttered Kunafa Pastry onto each plate. It should not be too thick or too thin.
11. Now divide and scatter the grated cheese over the top, not too close to the edges.
12. Use the remaining pastry to cover the top, gently pressing and sealing the edges and covering the cheese nicely. Try to cover the cheese evenly. One or two odd cracks are fine; they will help you see how the cheese is melting while cooking, but not too many cracks, or your outer pastry will not get crisped properly.
13. Place the prepared Kunefe plate on the smallest burner of your stovetop. Place it on the lowest flame possible and then use flat-edged tongs to keep turning and rotating the plate on the burner. This ensures even cooking. The shape of the kunefe plate helps in easy rotation.
14. For my 7 inch plates, it takes just about 2 minutes per side.
15. Use a small offset metal spatula to check on the edges. The bottom should be lightly crisped and golden by now. Gently run the spatula along the edges, cutting away any melted cheese and releasing the crust from the edges.
16. Use another Kunefe plate or flat pan to flip over the pastry. I like to use another greased Kunefe plate because you can continue to cook the second side easily. A small metal skillet will work as well.
17. Keep rotating as you did earlier on the low flame, till the second side is crisped in the same manner.
18. Release the edges once again with the spatula and then flip the hot-cooked pastry onto a serving dish.
    
19. Immediately pour the cool syrup over the hot pastry and top with the finely chopped pistachio.
20. I love this hot and fresh on its own OR with a small scoop of Pistachio ice cream on the side!
    

Note

• Many people like to use rose water or orange blossom water while making the simple syrup. I really prefer my version, as it works better with the cheese filling IMO.
• The Pistachio may be ground coarsely or finely, depending on individual preference.
• Please also check out the Intro page⇓ for detailed information on the ingredients and background of Kunefe.
• Key Ingredients: Kunafa Pastry(Kataifi), Unslated Cheese, Unsalted Butter, Sugar, Lemon, Spice.

Keywords: Turkish Kunefe, Künefe recipe, Hatay Kunefe, shredded phyllo dough dessert, cheese-filled pastry, Middle Eastern sweets, Kadayif dessert, sweet and savory pastry, pistachio dessert, hot cheese dessert, authentic Turkish food