Hello, hey! I am back with another Kunafa recipe for you!
If you haven’t figured it out yet, I am head over heels in love with Kunafa, in every shape and size. The combination of the buttery, crispy kataifi dough, thick cream, and sugar syrup sweep me away every. single. time.
Because of my deep standing love of Kunafa, I’m on a mission to use these flavors I and so many others love in different desserts and transform the classic Kunafa into something different. So after turning Kunafa into cookies, I have now turned it into…a cheesecake!
That’s right, a Kunafa Cheesecake. A Middle-Eastern twist to your classic, baked New York Cheesecake that features all the beloved flavors of a Kunafa that will literally blow you away 🤯.
PS: I made mine in small square molds but this recipe is for a big 8 or 9-inch family-style cheesecake.
Before we get into the cheesecake, here’s a little bit of history on Kunafa for those of you who don’t know what it is and are missing out on a big joy of life –
What’s Kunafa?
Kunafa is a classic, extremely popular Middle Eastern dessert that has been known and loved by people across the love. It’s made with a crunchy string dough on the outside, known as kataifi dough, and is filled with either cream on cheese, based on where you’re eating it, and is drenched in sweet, sticky sugar syrup.
Every region does Kunafa their own way, some fill it with cream, others with different types of cheeses like ricotta or mozzarella. My personal favorite though is the cream.
Nothing beats a good ol’ cream-filled Kunafa with a crispy exterior and soft, creamy interior. The sugar syrup pairs perfectly with the crunchy, buttery, Kataifi dough and the sweet, creamy center (who else is drooling after reading this 🤤).
This dessert takes all those delicious flavors and intertwines them with another classic, the New York cheesecake. And boy, the result is absolutely killer!
Now before anyone gets offended 🙊, I am not saying this is better than the classic Kunafa, but it’s a whole different take on it. It takes the flavors of the classic dessert and transforms it into something different while keeping the essence of Kunafa intact.
Here’s how the cheesecake highlights the flavors of Kunafa:
Kataifi Cheesecake Base
While a classic New York cheesecake is made with a biscuit crumb (like digestives or graham crackers), this Kunafa cheesecake replaces that with a base made of a crispy, buttery, golden baked layer of kataifi dough, similar to the exterior of a Kunafa. This really gives the feel of an authentic Kunafa to this cheesecake, and the crispiness of the kataifi dough paired with the creamy cheesecake layer is just something else ✨.
Because of how common Kunafa is, frozen kataifi dough can easily be found in stores. If you live in the Middle East, you will find it in any and every store. If not, your local Middle-Eastern store will surely have it!
You can also make Kataifi dough at home, but really, just buy it frozen!
With the frozen kataifi dough, you have very little work to do for the cheesecake base. The kataifi dough comes in long strings. To make the base, first, you have to defrost the dough until it’s soft, then drench it in melted butter until all the strings are nice and buttery.
The butter is the key to creating the perfectly crispy kataifi base, without it, the dough really tastes like nothing.
Then you will take the buttered kataifi dough and press it on the bottom of your springform pan to make a base for the cheesecake. This base is baked separately from the cheesecake layer, which is later transferred to the base after being baked and cooled.
Tip: Keep the kataifi dough strings intact to create a closely-knit base.
Creamy Cheesecake Filling
The cheesecake layer is filled with a delicious cream cheese flavor and has a soft, smooth texture that perfectly complements the crispy kataifi base.
This layer uses cream cheese and sour cream to bring out the salty-sweet flavors that are reminiscent of the classic Kunafa.
The cheesecake layer is baked separately in a springform pan in a water bath, low and slow. The water bath allows the cheesecake to bake evenly and stops it from cracking while baking. Cause we all want a smooth, pretty top for our cheesecake, right?
Once it’s baked, the cheesecake layer is cooled and frozen so that it’s stable enough to be transferred to the baked kataifi base
Sweet, Sticky Sugar Syrup
If you have eaten a Kunafa before, you know that sugar syrup is the key to a good Kunafa. Without it, the Kunafa ends up tasting like nothing. It’s what brings all the flavors together and gives us that delicious Kunafa taste.
Just like a classic Kunafa, this cheesecake is also drizzled with a generous amount of sugar syrup that transforms the whole dessert and takes it to the next level.
Making sugar syrup is really the most simple and straightforward thing ever, and one that every person should know how to make by heart! All you have to do is bring equal parts of sugar and water to boil, then let it simmer till it’s reduced, thick, and sticky. That’s literally it!
The fun part about the sugar syrup is that you can customize it any way you want – plain syrup, spiced syrup with cinnamon and/or cardamom, a hint of rosewater or orange blossom, maybe a hint of lemon – you can in any direction you like! Just add the flavoring into your sugar syrup while it’s cooking to help it infuse in.
The Toppings
The toppings of this dessert are as important as the filling, so I would highly recommend not skipping them!
To finish, the delicious cream cheese layer is topped with creamy keshta cream (link). Keshta cream refers to the thick, sweet cream that comes in tins and tastes like absolute heaven. Adding a layer of keshta cream over the cheesecake layers gives it another layer of depth 👌🏽.
Then, the cream is topped with crispy, roasted, golden-brown kataifi dough which adds some more contrasting texture to the creamy filling.
And finally, the cheesecake is doused in sugar syrup that soaks in and turns this cheesecake into the perfect dessert.
If you’re anything like me, you are drooling right now and on the way to the grocery store to get the ingredients to make this dessert. Am I right? 😏
I don’t blame you! It really is one of the most magical cheesecakes ever.
So let’s finish with the talking, and get started with the baking!
PS: I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. Using a measuring scale is the only way to bake accurately. Cups are very unreliable and can give different measurements, so I would suggest you buy a measuring scale before you start baking! If you can’t get your hands on one, you can use the online tools for converting grams into cups, however, I do not guarantee their accuracy.
PPS: if you notice a * after any word, it means that there are additional tips about it after the recipe
Kunafa Cheesecake
Equipment
- 8 inch springform pan
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric mixer
Ingredients
Cheesecake Layer
- 810 g cream cheese
- 220 g granulated sugar
- 115 g sour cream
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
Sugar Syrup
- 200 g granulated white sugar
- 200 ml water
- Additional flavoring (optional)
Kataifi Base
- 200 g kataifi dough, defrosted
- 85 g unsalted butter, melted
Toppings
- 200 g keshta cream
Instructions
Cheesecake Layer
- Preheat the oven at 160 degrees Celsius. Prepare the baking pan by greasing it with butter and then covering it with parchment paper. Make sure that the spring form pan is properly tightened so that there is no leakage.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer or a bowl with an electric mixer, add the cream cheese (810 g) and beat it on medium speed until it’s soft and smooth. You can also use a hand whisk to for this but it will take a lot more time and effort.
- Next, add the sugar (220 g) in the cream cheese and beat it for 2-3 minutes until it’s well combined. You can check if it’s done by rubbing the cream cheese between your fingers to check for graininess. Your mixture is done once there are no grains left.
- Add the sour cream (115 g), lemon juice (1 tsp), and vanilla essence (1 tsp), and beat it until it’s all well combined.
- Finally, add the beaten eggs (4 eggs) and give the batter a final mix until the egg is well incorporated into the cream cheese mixture. This is the final mixing step, so make sure that your batter is smooth and has no lumps.
- To bake the cheesecake, transfer the batter in the prepared springform pan, then wrap the sides of the pan with aluminum foil to make sure no water gets inside the pan while baking.
- The cheesecake is baked in a water bath to stop it from cracking while baking. Take a baking pan that can fit your springform pan and fill it with water halfway. Then, place the springform pan into water bath and bake it for 50-60 minutes, until the sides are firm and the center is set, but soft.
- Let the cheesecake layer cool, then remove it from the springform pan and freeze it until it’s completely set, for 3-6 hours. Make sure to cover the cheesecake layer properly while chilling it.
Sugar Syrup
- In a saucepan, add the sugar (200 g), water (200 ml), and any other flavoring you would like to infuse in the syrup.
- Bring the sugar syrup to boil on medium-high heat, then let it simmer on low heat for 10 minutes, until it’s reduced, thick, and sticky.
- Let the sugar syrup cool before using it.
- The sugar syrup can be made a week in advance and refrigerated in air tight containers.
Kataifi Base
- Defrost the frozen kataifi dough (200 g) until it’s soft.
- In a bowl, melt butter (85 g), then add the kataifi dough and mix it until all the dough is properly covered with butter and holds itself together.
- Put some of the buttered dough aside to roast for the topping. Roast this part of the kataifi dough over a pan until it’s golden brown.
- Take rest of the dough and place it on the same springform pan that was used for the cheesecake layer, and press it down until it form a smooth, even base layer. You can use a measuring cup to flatten the base properly.
- Bake the base layer for 15-20 minutes, until it’s golden-brown.
- While the base is still hot, pour a generous amount of sugar syrup on it and allow it to soak it properly, then let it chill in the fridge until it’s set, about 1-2 hours.
Assembly
- Once the cheesecake layer is properly set and frozen and the base is set, your cheesecake is ready to be assembled.
- Place the kataifi base on a plate, the transfer the frozen cheesecake layer on top using a spatula. Since the layer is frozen, this process should be easy.
- Place the cheesecake layer in the fridge for 3-6 hours, until the cheesecake layer is soft.
- When you are ready to serve, spread a thick layer of keshta cream (200 g) on top of the cheesecake layer. Then add a generous layer of the crispy roasted kataifi dough (prepared while making the cheesecake base) and drizzle the sugar syrup on top. Make sure to add the sugar syrup just before serving, or the kataifi dough on top will become soggy.
- That’s it, your cheesecake is ready to be served! I suggest serving it with extra sugar syrup to bring out the sweetness.
And that’s for recipe #3 of the Ramadan series! If you like Kunafa, you really can’t give this recipe a try! It’s simple, but is sure to impress all your iftar guests! 😉
Want to explore some more Ramadan dessert recipes? Check out the whole collection here!
I hope you enjoyed this recipe and give it a try! If you do, don’t forget to comment below to let me know how you liked it!
And of course, don’t forget to share it with me on Instagram with #ministryofpastry!
See you next time!
