How to Make the Original Cheese Kunafa

Ingredients

• 400 grams jameed cheese
• 1 kilo akawi cheese
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• 1 cup fine semolina
• orange blossom water
• a little rose water
• 600 grams kunafa dough shreds
• a large baking tray (a 30 cm pan was used in this photo)
• Kunafa recipe by:
• rana sbeti basy
• For more cheese dessert recipes: How to Make Cheese Qatayef
• For a Gazan-style kunafa recipe without cheese or cream, here is the link: How to Make Gazan-Style Arab Kunafa

Method

1. Put the ghee in the bottom of the tray and grease the entire tray with it.
2. Spread the kunafa shreds over the tray using a sieve or strainer so you get a fine layer that will show later when we invert the tray. Do not pack the kunafa shreds down or press them firmly, so they do not crack later.
3. Place the tray of kunafa shreds on the stovetop, not inside the oven but over low heat, and keep turning the tray so it browns on all sides, rotating it in the direction of the heat.
4. In a separate pot, place both cheeses over the heat and let them melt. It is important to soak both the jameed cheese and the akawi cheese in water for a while beforehand to remove some of their saltiness before using them for the kunafa.
5. After the cheese has melted, add the water, fine semolina, orange blossom water, and rose water.
6. Pour the cheese mixture over the kunafa shreds tray... wait about 5 minutes, then invert the cheese kunafa onto a serving plate or wide serving tray and pour the syrup (shira) over it immediately.
   Timers: 5 min