About

Knafeh, an amazing Middle Eastern dessert made with thin shredded filo noodles (or semolina dough), sweet cheese, clotted cream, or nut filling, and soaked in a sugar based syrup.

I’ve always loved knafeh growing up, but as a vegan teenager I needed to find a way to make a dairy free kind. But how? with coconut milk, of course! Years later with my veganism behind me, I still find myself preferring my vegan recipe over the traditional cheese knafeh. I’ll be showing how to make 3 varieties of knafeh (sweet cheese, ashta, and vegan coconut milk filling).

Serving Size 10-12

Ingredients

For Syrup

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ³⁄₄ teaspoon orange blossom water
• ³⁄₄ teaspoon rose water

For Knafeh

• 16 oz shredded filo dough (kataifi), defrosted
• 1 cup melted ghee or unsalted butter
• 1 cup vegetable oil (if vegan)
• Crushed pistachios (optional)
• Dried rose petals (optional)

For Cheese Filling

• 2 oz of sweet cheese

For Ashta Filling

• 4 oz mascarpone cheese
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1-2 tablespoon granulated white sugar

For Coconut Milk Filling

• 2 cans of 13.5 fl oz coconut milk
• 4 tablespoons fine semolina

Instructions

Making Syrup

1. In the small saucepan, combine together the sugar, water, and squeeze of lemon juice. Set on the stove top over medium high heat.

2. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for no longer than 10 minutes.

3. Stir in orange blossom and rose water.

4. Transfer to jar and chill in fridge.

Making Ashta Filling

1. Place all ingredients in mixing bowl and beat until it holds its shape.

2. Set aside

Making Coconut Milk Filling

1. Shake cans of coconut milk and empty into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat.

2. Reduce to low-medium heat and add fine semolina to the saucepand and mix. Stir frequently to avoid clumps for 5-8 minutes.

3. If filling is too runny, add another tablespoon of fine semolina until slightly thick.

4. Set aside

Making Sweet Cheese Filling

1. Shred or chop sweet cheese into thin slices.

2. Set aside

Making Knafeh Crust

1. Adjust oven rack to the lower middle position and preheat the oven to 375F. Butter or oil your 15x10 baking dish. You can also use a cake pan!

2. Remove defrosted kataifi from package, place in bowl of food processor. Process for 10-20 seconds and transfer into large mixing bowl.

3. Pour melted ghee, butter, or oil over shredded kataifi and mix until all pieces are coated.

4. Transfer half of your kataifi into the baking dish and press it into the dish until it is even.

5. Transfer your filling on top of the shredded kataifi in the baking dish.

6. Place the remaining shredded kataifi in the dish and press lightly.

7. Place dish into your preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until top of the knafeh is golden brown.

8. Remove from oven, garnish with crushed pistachios and dried rose petals. Pour syrup over it and allow it to cool for a few minutes.

9. Serve knafeh with more syrup and enjoy!