How to make crispy, cheesy kunafa at home in five simple steps

Food trends come and go, but few desserts have captured food lovers' attention quite like kunafa. While ordering this Middle Eastern favourite from cafes is popular, making it fresh in your own kitchen is surprisingly straightforward. If you have a sweet tooth, this warm, cheesy pastry drenched in fragrant syrup is a delightful treat to master at home.

Ingredients

For the sugar syrup:

1. 1 cup sugar
2. ½ cup water
3. 1 tsp lemon juice
4. 1 tsp rose water or orange blossom water

For the kunafa base:

1. 250 g kunafa or kataifi pastry
2. 100 g melted butter
3. 250–300 g mozzarella cheese, shredded
4. Chopped pistachios, for garnish

Preparation

1. Prepare the sugar syrup
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer gently for 5 to 7 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and rose water or orange blossom water, then remove from the heat and allow the syrup to cool completely.

2. Prep the pastry
Gently tease apart the strands of kataifi pastry using your fingers to break up any clumps. Pour the melted butter over the shredded pastry and toss thoroughly, ensuring every strand is well coated.

3. Assemble the layers
Grease a round baking pan lightly with butter. Press half of the buttered pastry firmly into the bottom of the pan to form an even base. Spread the shredded mozzarella cheese uniformly over the pastry layer, keeping slightly away from the extreme edges. Cover with the remaining pastry and press down gently to seal the cheese inside.

4. Bake to golden perfection
Place the pan in an oven preheated to 180°C and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top turns a rich, golden brown and crisp.

5. Finish and serve
As soon as you remove the hot kunafa from the oven, pour the cooled sugar syrup evenly across the top so it absorbs into the warm pastry. Garnish generously with crushed pistachios and serve warm for the ultimate crispy, gooey bite.