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Kunafa is a shredded phyllo pastry dessert with a creamy custard filling and condensed milk syrup, baked until golden and crispy. The contrast between crunchy crust, smooth filling, and sweet syrup makes it an iconic Middle Eastern treat.
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Preheat your oven to 180 C/ 356 F with the rack on the bottom of the oven.
Kunafa crust. Coat your 22 cm/ 9 inch baking tray with some butter/ghee.
Shred semi-frozen kunafa dough into 1.5 inch/ 4 cm long pieces over a large bowl. Add the remaining butter and mix with kunafa shreds to coat evenly. Transfer half of the dough to the tray and press firmly ,lining sides of the tray so it will hold the cream filling and prevent it from burning.
Making cream filling. In a medium saucepan heat milk and heavy cream; then add sugar and cornstarch and whisk until completely dissolved over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil until the mixture thickens. Remove from the stove and pour over the crust, spread with a spatula.
Top with the remaining kunafa shreds evenly and bake 30-40 minutes or until golden.
Remove kunafa from the oven and pour condensed milk, covering the entire surface. You might not need the whole can.
Garnish with ground pistachio.
Allow kunafa rest for 10-15 min to absorb the condensed milk.
Serve warm.
Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.
Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a 150°C oven for 5–10 minutes before serving warm.
22 cm (9 inch) baking tray · Medium saucepan
Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.
Condensed milk is traditional and creates the signature syrup, but you can substitute with a simple sugar syrup (equal parts sugar and water, boiled and cooled) poured over after baking.
Preheat to 180°C (356°F) with the oven rack on the bottom. Bake for 30–40 minutes until the top turns golden.
Let it rest for 10–15 minutes after pouring the condensed milk so it absorbs fully and the texture sets.
Assemble up to step 5, refrigerate unbaked, and bake before serving. Once baked and soaked, serve within 1–2 days at room temperature or gently reheated.
Ground almonds, walnuts, or a mix of nuts work well; alternatively, skip garnish entirely.
