The cheese for künefe has to be unsalted; salted cheese does not melt and does not stretch. Use Hatay cheese or dil peyniri with the salt drawn out. The second rule: künefe is cooked on the hob, not in the oven, and turned to cook both sides. Baked in an oven, the underside never browns.
Ingredients
For the dessert
For the syrup
For the top
Method
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Make the syrup
Boil the sugar and water for 12 minutes, add the lemon juice and cool.
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Prepare the kadayıf
Cut the kadayıf short with scissors, separate the strands and rub thoroughly with melted butter.
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Prepare the cheese
If the cheese is salty, soak it for 30 minutes, drain and grate it.
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Lay the bottom layer
Spread half the kadayıf in the künefe tray and press with a spoon.
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Add the cheese
Spread the cheese in the middle, leaving a finger clear at the edges.
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Close the top
Spread the remaining kadayıf and press firmly.
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Cook on the hob
Cook over a low heat for 12 minutes, turn it over with the help of a plate and cook the other side for 10 minutes.
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Add the syrup
Pour cold syrup over the hot künefe, scatter with pistachio and serve at once.
Tips
- Do not use salted cheese; it will not melt, will not stretch and there is no künefe.
- THE SYRUP RULE: the dessert hot, the syrup cold.
- Künefe is eaten hot. As the cheese cools it hardens and the stretch is over.
Nutrition
Values are per serving and approximate.