Press the layers very firmly
Tightly pressed pastry strands form a cohesive, crisp shell. Loose strands dry out and fall apart when the Künefe is portioned.
Turkish Recipe
Künefe
The pastry strands are coated thoroughly with clarified butter and pressed firmly into the tin. Pouring cold syrup over the hot pastry helps preserve its crisp texture.
Total time
1 hr 35 min
Calories
640 kcal
Servings
8 servings
Difficulty
Medium
Why this recipe works
Crisp Tel Kadayıf with cheese and pistachios
Künefe is particularly associated with Hatay and Antakya. It consists of fine Tel Kadayıf pastry strands, a layer of unsalted melting cheese and a light lemon syrup. Coat the strands evenly with butter and press them firmly into the tin so the pastry browns consistently. Cook and cool the syrup first, then pour it over the Künefe as soon as the pastry comes out of the oven. Serve immediately while the cheese is still hot and stretchy.
Turkish Recipes
Cheese
Recipe
Künefe
Künefe is a Turkish dessert of crisp Tel Kadayıf pastry, melted unsalted cheese and lemon syrup, finished with pistachios.
Ingredients
8 servings
Method
-
1
Cook the syrup first
Bring the sugar and water to the boil and simmer gently for 8 minutes. Add the lemon juice, cook for another 2 minutes and leave the syrup to cool completely.
-
2
Drain and dry the cheese
Cut the mozzarella into thin slices and pat it thoroughly dry between paper towels. If using moist fresh mozzarella, leave it to drain for an additional 30 minutes.
-
3
Separate the Kadayıf strands
Separate the pastry strands with your hands and tear them into pieces 2 to 3 cm long. Break up any dry or hard clumps completely.
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4
Coat evenly with butter
Pour the melted clarified butter over the Kadayıf and work it in with your hands for several minutes until every strand is lightly coated and glossy.
-
5
Press the bottom layer firmly
Butter a 28 cm round tin. Spread slightly more than half of the pastry strands evenly over the base and press them down very firmly with the bottom of a glass.
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6
Add the cheese without touching the edge
Arrange the cheese in an even layer, leaving a 2 cm border all around. This prevents the melted cheese from escaping from the tin during baking.
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7
Compress the top layer
Spread over the remaining Kadayıf strands and press firmly again, especially around the edge. Smooth the surface evenly.
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8
Bake until deep golden brown
Bake the Künefe at 190°C conventional heat for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edge and surface are evenly deep golden brown and crisp.
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9
Soak the hot Künefe with cold syrup
Slowly pour the cold syrup over the hot Künefe. Leave it to absorb for 5 to 8 minutes, sprinkle with pistachios and serve while hot, with Kaymak if desired.
Kitchen know-how
Tips for Künefe
Use the temperature contrast
Cold syrup soaks into hot Künefe without immediately softening the crust. Hot syrup poured over hot pastry makes it soggy more quickly.
Variations
How to adapt this recipe
Divide the ingredients among eight shallow, well-buttered ramekins. Bake at 190°C for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on their size, until golden brown.
Pour over only three quarters of the syrup initially and serve the remainder at the table. This keeps the Künefe especially crisp for longer.
Nutrition per serving
640kcal
73.0 gCarbohydrates
14.0 gProtein
33.0 gFat
Values are estimates and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Künefe
Traditional unsalted Künefe cheese is ideal. Well-drained low-moisture mozzarella is a mild substitute that melts reliably.
Tel Kadayıf consists of very fine, pre-cooked pastry strands. It is sold fresh or frozen in Turkish and Middle Eastern grocery shops.
The strands may have been coated unevenly, pressed too loosely or underbaked. The surface should be deep golden brown before the syrup is added.
The assembled tin can be refrigerated for a few hours. Baking, adding the syrup and serving should then follow one another without delay.
Reheat individual pieces in a 180°C oven for about 8 minutes. A microwave melts the cheese but softens the pastry strands.
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