When we sit and brainstorm what specific recipes mean to us, they are often linked to a person or childhood memory. Well, with Mother’s Day just around the corner, we thought if we were to consider one recipe that made us think of our mother…a treat that she would drive across town for, it would be Knefe!

Knefe is a traditional dessert in many places of the Middle East and Lebanon is no exception. Like many regional foods, the knefe is prepared with local characteristics depending on where you sample this tasty treat. In Lebanon it is considered a breakfast menu item as well as a much desired dessert. This cheesy sweet concoction is prepared in large round pans on top of an open flame with attentive bakers slowly turning and spinning it until it reaches the perfect golden glow. Once you are ready to eat, the knefe is stuffed into a sesame rich thin bun (kaik) and sweetened some more.

The Lebanese knefe is made with a layer of farkit knefe (knefe dough) and akawie cheese. It is pretty much the Lebanese cheese cake. Knefe can also be made with ashta cream but that is a post for another day! The farke is made in specialty factories and needs to be store bought. You can find the farket knefe at local sweet shops or in the freezer at some local Lebanese supermarkets. Using the farke will get you the most authentic and most consistent results, but since it is not always readily available and easy to find, we have developed a homemade version (pictured below).

With all of our experiments we did not find we can 100% replicate this dough at home, but it is as close as it gets so if you are not able to get your hands on Farket knefe you can substitute with kataifi dough using our (homemade knefe dough recipe).

Early in the recipe developing stages we were so let down when we cut our first slice of knefe and there was no cheese pull (sad face). It turns out my friends that, that famous authentic cheese pull is only achieved with Czech White akawie cheese, a cheese sadly not available to us here in North America. To achieve the creamer cheese consistency we substituted a portion of the akawie cheese with mozzarella cheese. We found that a quarter substitution does the trick but you can adjust the proportions to your liking. you can also substitute some of the cheese with the string mshallale cheese -a white cheese that comes in a braided mass- that has a natural stretch when melted.  If it is not something you are looking for, feel free to use the akawie cheese alone.

This recipe can be a little finicky mostly because ovens can be temperamental. Even if you observe seasoned professionals you will see them poking through the knefe to check for done-ess before flipping. keep your eye on the edge of the knefe crust, once that browns it should be ready. We’re confident that with patience and love you can also perfect this velvety delight.

Lebanese Knefe- Cheese {كنافة}

Knefe is a traditional dessert in many places of the Middle East and Lebanon is no exception. In Lebanon it is considered a breakfast menu item as well as a much desired dessert. The Lebanese knefe is made with a layer of farkit knefe (knefe dough) and akawie cheese. It is pretty much the Lebanese cheese cake.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Cheese to sweeten 5 hours hrs

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine Japanese, Mediterranean, middle eastern

Servings 12 ” round pan

Ingredients

  

• 450 g thinly sliced Akawie cheese Halloumi works too
• 150 g mozzarella
• 500 g 2 1/4 cups Farket knefe (make your own here)
• 3 tbsp reserved
• 1 tsp rose water
• 2 tbsp softened butter
• 3/4 cup Atyr – Simple Syrup plus extra for individual serving
• 1/4 cup Crushed pistachio to garnish optional

Instructions

 

• Place cheese in water to sweeten for 5 hours ; Change water 3 or 4 times.
• Rinse cheese; pulse in blender until shredded.
• Transfer to bowl and add reserved 2 tbsp knefe dough, and rose water; continue to knead until it’s all incorporated; set aside
• Using brush, coat 12" round pan with butter to prepare for knefe dough.

  Tip: If your pan is slightly bigger it will still work with this recipe; if your pan is slightly smaller omit some of the knefe dough.
• Rub dough between hands to break up any lumps; pat flat into pan bringing some dough up on the sides; ~1/2 inch.
• Add cheese over dough and press flat to the edge and sprinkle with 1 tbsp reserved farke (helps keep it from sticking when flipped over);  tent with aluminum foil.
• Place on low rack at 350 F until the edges start to brown;for 30 – 50 minutes. At 20 min mark check knefe and turn tray to ensure even browning; continue to check every ten minutes.
• Tap pan lightly to release knefe; flip carefully onto larger pan.

  Tip: If knefe needs a little more browning place back in oven under broiler for a minute or two.
• Pour atyr over knefe and garnish with crushed pistachios.

  Tips: you can use less or more atyr to finish your knefe depending on how sweet you like it.
• Cut into squares and serve warm with extra atyr on the side for individual preference of sweetness.

Keyword Knefe, Knefe with cheese