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Künefe

Künefe is a delightful Turkish dessert featuring crispy pastry filled with gooey cheese, soaked in fragrant syrup, perfect for special occasions.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Turkish
Calories: 300
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 package Kataifi pastry
  • 1 cup Unsalted cheese (e.g., mozzarella or akawi) Make sure to use unsalted cheese for best flavor
  • 1/2 cup Butter Melted
  • 1 cup Sugar For syrup
  • 1 cup Water For syrup
  • 1 tablespoon Rose water or orange blossom water Optional
  • 1/4 cup Pistachios Crushed, for garnish

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Grease a baking dish with melted butter.
  3. Take the kataifi pastry and shred it into smaller pieces.
  4. Mix half of the melted butter into the kataifi.
  5. Layer half of the buttery kataifi at the bottom of the dish.
  6. Spread the cheese evenly on top.
  7. Add the remaining kataifi over the cheese layer and press it down.
Baking
  1. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown.
Making Syrup
  1. In a saucepan, combine sugar and water and bring to a boil.
  2. Cook until syrupy, then add rose water or orange blossom water if desired.
  3. Once the künefe is done baking, pour the syrup over it while hot and let it soak for 10 minutes.
Serving
  1. Garnish with crushed pistachios before serving.

Notes

Künefe is best served warm. Cut into squares or triangles and pairs wonderfully with Turkish tea or coffee. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.