Kunafa
HB-1293 · Hand-built original · Bahraini
Meet Kunafa, one of Bahrain's most treasured sweets. This heavenly dessert layers crisp, golden strands of pastry over a soft, molten filling, all brought together with a generous drizzle of fragrant sugar syrup. Finished with a scattering of bright green pistachios, it is the kind of indulgent treat that turns any celebration into an occasion. Bring the warm, honeyed flavours of the Arabian Gulf straight to your own kitchen.
BahrainiDessert1–2 servings2400 kcalVegetarianEgg-freeHigh Fiber
Main ingredient: dough
Pairs well with: coffee, vanilla ice cream, fresh berries, whipped cream
Servings:1quantities adjust to match
Ingredients
- 7 oz kunafa (shredded kataifi) pastry dough, thawed if frozen
- 1¾ oz butter, melted, plus extra for the pan
- 3½ oz unsalted soft cheese (akkawi, soaked and drained, or low-moisture mozzarella), crumbled or grated
- 3½ oz sugar
- 3½ Tbsp water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1¾ oz pistachios, finely chopped
Method
- Make the syrup first: simmer the sugar, water, and lemon juice together for 5 minutes until slightly syrupy, then cool completely. Kunafa syrup must be cool when it meets the hot pastry.
- Heat the oven to 350°F and butter a small round pan of about 7¾ in.
- Pull the kunafa strands apart in a large bowl, pour the melted butter over them, and toss thoroughly with your hands until every strand is coated.
- Press two-thirds of the pastry firmly and evenly into the pan, including a thin raised edge.
- Scatter the cheese evenly over the base, keeping it slightly away from the edges, then cover with the remaining pastry and press down firmly.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until deep golden and crisp.
- Immediately pour the cool syrup evenly over the hot kunafa and let it soak for 5 minutes.
- Invert onto a plate if you like, scatter the pistachios over the top, and serve warm, while the cheese is still stretchy.
Nutrition (per serving, where published)
2400 kcalCalories
44.7 gProtein
208 gCarbs
157.4 gFat
55.7 gSaturates
6.4 gFibre
1.6 gSugars
1840 mgSodium
164 mgCholesterol
714 mgPotassium
460 mgCalcium
6.9 mgIron
1 servingServing
Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data