Lebanese Knafeh Cheese Delight (Printable)

A warm, cheesy dessert with crispy shredded phyllo and fragrant syrup, perfect for gatherings.

# What You Need:

→ Cheese Filling

01 - 14 oz Akawi cheese (or unsalted mozzarella), soaked and drained
02 - 7 oz ricotta cheese

→ Pastry

03 - 9 oz kataifi (shredded phyllo dough), thawed
04 - 3.5 oz unsalted butter, melted

→ Syrup

05 - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
06 - 3/4 cup water
07 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
08 - 1 tbsp orange blossom water
09 - 1 tbsp rose water

→ Garnish

10 - 2 tbsp finely chopped pistachios
11 - 1 tbsp honey (optional, for drizzling)

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F.
02 - Soak Akawi cheese in water for several hours or overnight, changing water every hour to reduce salt. Drain, pat dry, then shred or slice thinly.
03 - Combine shredded Akawi (or mozzarella) and ricotta cheese in a bowl. Set aside.
04 - Place kataifi in a large bowl. Gently separate strands and pour melted butter over them, mixing thoroughly to coat evenly.
05 - Grease a 9-inch round baking dish. Spread half of the buttered kataifi evenly on the bottom, pressing down firmly to form a base.
06 - Evenly distribute the cheese mixture over the kataifi base.
07 - Cover cheese with remaining kataifi strands, pressing down gently.
08 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
09 - Combine sugar, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in orange blossom and rose water. Let cool.
10 - Invert baked knafeh immediately onto a serving platter. Pour half of the cooled syrup evenly over the hot pastry.
11 - Sprinkle finely chopped pistachios and drizzle with honey if desired. Serve warm with additional syrup on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • That first bite delivers three textures at once—crispy, stretchy, and silky—in a way that feels almost luxurious without being fussy.
  • Once you master the technique, you can make it for a crowd and actually enjoy the moment instead of panicking in the kitchen.
  • It tastes like celebration, but it's approachable enough that a medium-skill baker won't feel out of their depth.
02 -
  • If your cheese filling is too wet, the knafeh will taste soggy no matter how crisp the pastry is—this is why soaking Akawi and draining it thoroughly, and patting both cheeses dry before mixing, actually determines success.
  • The syrup must be completely cool before it touches the hot knafeh, or the pastry will soften instead of staying crisp; I learned this the hard way on my second attempt and it changed everything.
  • Flipping the knafeh is less scary than it sounds—do it while the dessert is still hot enough that the cheese hasn't fully set, and it will turn out cleanly almost every time.
03 -
  • The butter-coated kataifi should feel light and separate in your fingers, not clumpy; if it's clumping, your pastry wasn't thawed enough or you're handling it too roughly.
  • Don't pour your syrup over the knafeh while it's still hot—the syrup needs to be cool so the temperature difference creates that magical textural contrast that makes knafeh unforgettable.
  • If you're nervous about flipping, you can serve it straight from the dish without flipping, and it will taste just as good; the flipped presentation is traditional but not essential to success.
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