Easy Lebanese Bread Knafeh (Cheese Kunafa)
Description
This easy Lebanese bread knafeh is a homemade twist on traditional cheese kunafa, made with buttery bread, melted mozzarella, creamy semolina pudding, and aromatic sugar syrup. Serve it warm for a taste of Lebanon at home.
Ingredients
For the sugar syrup (Attar):
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water or rose water
For the bottom bread layer:
- 500 g 1 lb 2 oz white bread, crusts removed and torn into pieces
- 200 g 7 oz unsalted butter, melted
For the middle cheese layer:
- 400 g 14 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced (or Akawi/Nabulsi cheese, desalted)
For the pudding layer:
- 1 cup coarse semolina
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 200 g 7 oz mozzarella cheese, diced
- A pinch of ground mastic gum optional
For garnish:
- ⅓ cup raw pistachios coarsely ground (optional)
Instructions
- Cut into slices and drizzle sugar syrup over each serving. Enjoy!
Prepare the Sugar Syrup (Attar)
- Dissolve: Place the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves.
- Simmer: Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 7 minutes.
- Finish: Stir in the orange blossom water and simmer for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
Assemble the Base & Cheese Layers
- Prep the Bread: Tear the crustless white bread into small pieces. Pour in the melted butter and knead by hand until it forms a uniform, cohesive dough.
- Press: Grease a 30 cm (12-inch) round baking tin with a small piece of butter. Firmly press the bread dough evenly into the bottom of the tin.
- Layer Cheese: Arrange the sliced mozzarella cheese in an even layer over the bread, covering it almost completely. Set aside.
Cook the Pudding Layer
- Prep Mastic: If using mastic gum, crush it into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle.
- Combine & Whisk: Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the milk, heavy cream, semolina, sugar, diced mozzarella, and crushed mastic.
- Thicken: Whisk constantly over medium heat until the cheese completely melts and the pudding becomes thick and smooth.
- Pour: Immediately pour the hot pudding evenly over the sliced mozzarella layer in the baking tin.
Bake & Serve
- Preheat: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) and position the oven rack in the lower third.
- Bake: Cover the knafeh loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the bottom bread layer turns a deep golden brown.
- Flip & Garnish: Carefully invert the hot knafeh onto a flat serving platter. Garnish the top with the coarsely ground pistachios.
- Serve: Slice into portions and drizzle the cooled sugar syrup over each serving. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
Hadia’s Tip:
Mastic gum can be quite difficult to find, so if it is not readily available, you can substitute ½ teaspoon of vanilla sugar. However, if you happen to have mastic gum in your pantry, don’t hesitate to use it in this recipe! It adds a distinctive, aromatic flavor that truly enhances the knafeh.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!