Egyptian Cream filled Konafa Recipe - Konafa Bel Creama

Today I'll be showing you how to make Egyptian Cream Filled Konafa (كنافة بالكريمة), a classic dessert served during Ramadan. This dessert has a layer of mastic cream between two layers of crispy golden Konafa. I'm Obi from Middle Eats and I'm on a mission to show you how to cook delicious food from across the whole of the Middle East.
This recipe is adapted from Cleobuttera's Classic Cream filled Konafa:
cleobuttera.co...
Ingredients:
400g Konafa (usually called Kadaifi and sold frozen in Europe and the US, you can find it in Greek and Turkish supermarkets)
180g ghee or 250g unsalted butter
Syrup:
250g sugar
150ml water
1tsp vanillin or vanilla sugar (you can use vanilla extract but it will darken syrup)
Squeeze of lemon
Cream Filling:
600g heavy cream
3tbsp cornflour
3tbsp sugar
2 small pieces of mastic (optional)
To prepare the simple syrup
1. Add the sugar, water, vanilla, squeeze of lemon juice to a saucepan. If you are adding rose water or orange blossom add it now.
2. Place on a medium-high heat till it comes to a boil, don't stir so the syrup doesn't crystallise.
3. Once it boils turn the heat to low and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Pour out into a jug to cool.
To prepare the cream filling
1. Add cream, sugar and corn flour to a pot.
2. Crush your mastic and add it into the pot.
3. Mix to combine the ingredients before cooking.
4. Place the pot on a medium-high heat and whisk untill it comes to a boil.
5. The mixture will resemble custard, when this happens cook for a further minute.
6. Pour out into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap so it doesn't form a crust
To clarify the butter
1. Place butter into a small pot on a high heat and let it melt completely.
2. When it's melted, leave it to boil until a foamy layer forms then disappears.
3. There should be a thin film floating on top of the melted butter that you can separate with a spoon, when this appears pour your clarified butter out into a jug or jar
To prepare the Konafa
1. Cut the Konafa till the strands are about 1 inch or 2.5cm long then separate the individual strands from each other. If there are small clumps remaining then it's ok.
2. Scoop out the top part of your clarified butter, avoiding the milk solids formed at the bottom of your jugas best as you can. You will need 180g of the clarified butter, a little less is fine
3. Mix the konafa with the clarified butter. Working with small fractions of your konafa and butter at a time will ensure an even spread of butter to your dough.
4. Once you have your Konafa a fairly uniform shade of yellow, you’re ready to assemble.
To Assemble
1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius (390F)
2. Prepare a 10 inch round baking dish and brush about a tablespoon of butter on the bottom and sides of the pan.
3. Begin placing Konafa in the pan, fluffing it up as you place it. You should place a layer about 1cm deep covering the entire base of the pan and the walls.
4. Using a measuring cup or a similar object press the Konafa down compacting it into the base of the pan and pressing it flat against the walls. Keep adding Konafa and compacting it till the base is uniformly thick and flat. There should be no gaps or thin spots. Add more Konafa as needed to the walls until you have used up 2/3rds of the Konafa .
5. Compact the walls all the way around, then give the cream a quick mix and pour it into the centre of the Konafa on top of the base. Spread the cream out with a spatula or spoon till it is in an even layer.
6. Fold down the dough that is pressed on the walls onto the cream mixture
7. Sprinkle your remaining Konafa on top of the cream until a thin layer has formed and the cream is no longer visible. When you have done this press it down slightly to compact the top layer using your hands. You should have an even layer throughout so add more Konafa if it is unlevel.
8. Finally push down and flatten any strands of Konafa that are poking upwards as these may burn in the oven
To Cook
1. Place the Konafa in the centre of the preheated oven for 30-45 minutes or until it is golden brown and the sides have pulled away from the walls of the pan.
2. Remove it from the oven and immediately apply the syrup, pour it down the sides of the walls first then pour the remaining syrup evenly in the centre. You should hear the syrup sizzle as it hits the pan and gets absorbed into the Konafa
3. Leave the Konafa to sit for 15 minutes before serving
4. To Serve, place a serving dish on top of the baking tray and flip the two over so your Konafa is now resting on the dish.
5. Decorate with the pistachio slices and serve.
Instagram: / itsmiddleeats

[@LivesOnStars]

I'm so glad I found your channel! Now I finally know what my old Egyptian neighbour's ultra-sweet frizzly flat cake thing was called! She used to make one for us every summer when I was a child, and I loved it. She was an amazing cook and spent most of the day in the kitchen with the doors open, so it always smelled great in our garden. I regretted never asking what it was called, but this is definitely it, looks exactly the same on the outside. Her version was without cream, though, and the texture inside was like a very, very dense and moist syrupy cake. Would the different filling also be a different recipe, or could this one be made without cream? This also looks declicious, but I'd like to make the version I know for nostalgia reasons. Looking through your other videos, I'm definitely going to try the tabouleh and falafel. Your way of explaining is really clear and relaxed, and I love that you explain why you are doing certain things certain ways. Good luck with your channel, and you have a new sub for sure.

[@amroxfaraj]

might be late but i think you’re thinking of basboosa?

[@tsw_atlas]

I’ve had kunaafa with cheese filling, cream filling, and no filling. Some people I know fill it with nuts as well.

[@miakuusniemi155]

This was easy to make by following you reciept! Thank you! Even Finnish woman can do that now😂

[@MiddleEats]

Haha great to hear, I hope you liked it!

[@Dude902]

I did the ricotta cheese substitution for the cream. My Egyptian family always does it this way for simplicity.

[@hussamg]

Looks delicious is very tempting to watch Ramadan

[@TF-ve3vu]

ye

[@anjnag6965]

Nice recipe and you have explained it very well. I already made Kunafe twice recently.

[@bellaverastegui1808]

My husband favorite kunafa

[@sheryn61]

Thank you for making this! I've been looking for a video on Kunafah with a cream filling.

[@MiddleEats]

Glad to help.

[@edithharmer1326]

OMG! DELICIOUS! GREAT TUTOR, WELL EXPLAINED ALL! EASIER TO FOLLOW TO GET IT RIGHT! THANK YOU FOR SHARING! GREETINGS FROM SINGAPORE!🌷 EDITH, A HAPPY SUBSCRIBER

[@naziras2376]

Made this yesterday and it was really good !

[@001Lana001]

Nice video! Made it look super easy as well.

[@MiddleEats]

Thanks! I'm glad it was easy to follow.

[@TF-ve3vu]

mmm yum

[@ruqaiyahkhatab6061]

Just what I was looking for, will try

[@abanvandrevala661]

Superb very well done. Many thanks

[@tacefairy]

This looks so good! I really enjoy your channel, I’ve seen so many new dishes and hope to make them soon :)

[@MiddleEats]

Thank you! This is one of the most popular desserts in the middle east so I'm sure you'd enjoy it!

[@alesspan7516]

Best Konafa I made, thanks for the recipe👌🏽🙏🏼

[@yumyum8331]

Mashallah looks sooo nice 😍

[@truthseeker8205]

Tysm, it turned out really good!

[@deetlebee]

Watching this in April 2021 and you have come so far in filming skills. Like this was great and a beautiful recipe, but I feel like you have grown so much. I found this recipe after seeing on twitter a almost mozzarella-stick version of knafeh that looked great. I'd love to try both versions sometime to compare. :)

[@MiddleEats]

Thanks, I actually put out a cheese konafa video last week. I always aim to improve with each and every video.

[@vonzify]

this version 😉 superb now I am new subscriber 🥰 thanks for sharing this wonderful kunafa

[@MiddleEats]

No problem at all, hope you try it out!

[@aroojasad5226]

Wow best recipe ever

[@MiddleEats]

Thank you!

[@MsSonja123456]

Brilliant yummm 🌹

[@ishish5879]

Thank you!

[@jasmineelfiky1410]

I was going to tell u that should have been the celebration recipe of the 100k subscribers

[@MusicBoxAlsoWater]

Thank you for this video! What kind of butter to use? Salted, unsulted, or is there a specific brand you recommend? Also, the crema, is that custard? I am trying to make this for my fiance who loves it with custard, but I'm unsure of the difference, as I heard you mention custard when making the cream. Thank you for your help!

[@MiddleEats]

Unsalted butter, otherwise the clarified butter can get too salty. It's not a custard perse as it does not contain any eggs. It's more of a thickened cream mixture. I'm sure this is what your fiance meant, as we don't do one with custard in Egypt.

[@zatoonh]

Love the cream one, but must have cheese in it as well

[@JohnAndJohner]

Since this thing is huge and makes the most sense to mass produce, how do you recommend eating the leftovers? Any good reheating methods or would you eat it cold?

[@iPRiNCESSMiMi]

I honestly like it cold, it’s amazing :)

[@shanama858]

Hi.. may i know wats the purpose of mastic..? And also,wat did u add first ,before sugar..? Some white powder..

[@naziras2376]

Hi, it's cornstarch . If you click the description box you'll have the recipe and measurement.

[@golf3619]

Cool video. What is mastic?

[@MiddleEats]

Mastic is a resin that comes from Greek pine trees and has a gummy/piney flavor. It tastes similar to the smell of sawdust, but works great as a background flavor in stocks and desserts.

[@abanvandrevala661]

What is mastic never heard before. I am from Mumbai India. What is the substitute.

[@Dr.spanishlatte]

What can be used to substitute mastic?

[@PriNceSsEmO2010]

Vanilla would be great

[@ibaly]

Yo Obie can u do basbousa?

[@MiddleEats]

Definitely! I'll work it in to my upcoming schedule.

[@saamiahaleem3700]

I’m not sure if I can find mastic here in supermarkets in saudi arabia. Is there an alternate to it?

[@MiddleEats]

You should be able to find it there, it's quite common. It's called mistika in Arabic. If not, just leave it out.

[@nosheenfaezehzar2192]

Why adding Mastic thanks

[@joan2066]

Can we use all purpose cream?

[@Mohammad.Adel.]

Don't you mean cornstarch? I don't think cornflour works here

[@lovequeen4169]

What is mastic???

[@susuhabibi]

is this like osmalieh?

[@amanihassan9298]

can i use oil or ghee to make Kunafa? can i use butter without clarifying it?

[@MiddleEats]

Ghee is clarified butter, you can just melt it.

[@Retrocrzy]

My friends mother made me this delicious dessert but she said she used coconut cream instead. She is from Egypt. Have you ever made it like that?

[@g_b_m]

It's always better to use Indian Ghee instead of regular butter.

[@curlandro5824]

Is is possible to add more cornstrach to the heavy cream instead of mastic?

[@MiddleEats]

The mastic is there for flavour not texture, just leave it out if you don't have any. Don't add extra cornstarch.

[@curlandro5824]

@@MiddleEats ah I understand! Thanks a lot! 😄

[@HassanMohamed-us1yx]

Is the mastic for flavour only?

[@MiddleEats]

Yes

[@HassanMohamed-us1yx]

Thank you

[@abellanetta]

you need more juice the quantity you put is not enough has to be wet full of juice

[@kholiotube5247]

Bro how did y grt that accent British

[@MiddleEats]

My mother is english. It's my nature accent.

[@Musatunc-ur5br]

Amigo hajsnsjs

[@Kamil-kg2ku]

As a Palestinian, no.

[@gardeniagorgeous4232]

That’s sad. Egyptians have totally embraced knafeh nabulsiya and you are choosing to miss out on a delicious creamy version that is just as good. Well, more for us!

[@happydillpickle]

Knafe Nablusiyeh is iconic🙂 Hey, but cream is delicious too!