Thermotwinning: Knafeh

We have been lucky enough to try the famous Knafeh (pronounced 'Ka-na-feh') from the Knafeh Jerusalem street food truck which travels around Sydney, parks their truck in a spot for a weekend and opens at night. The Knafeh food truck experience is an amazing electric atmosphere with Middle Eastern music, entertainment from the bearded chefs and a community atmosphere (https://www.facebook.com/knafehbakery).

Knafeh

Ever since my first taste of Knafeh I have been busting to make it at home!!

Knafeh is a Middle Eastern dessert and tastes like a baked custard with crunchy topping. It is a sweet cheese or cream dessert which is topped with pistachios and sugar syrup. According to Wikipedia, 'Kanafeh' is a Levantine cheese pastry soaked in sweet, sugar based syrup, typical of the regions of the Ottoman Empire. There are different variations of Knafeh depending on the different regions in the Middle East.

This is my take on Knafeh based on a recipe I found with ingredients that are readily available. Most recipes I found used Akawi/Syrian Cheese - a Palestinian cheese which I have never heard of or seen (I believe you can get them at Middle Eastern grocery shops).

You can get the Semolina at Coles/Woolworths in the organic or pasta/grains section. The Orange Blossom Water and Rose Water can also be bought from Coles/Woolworths in the Indian section, or you can get it at your local Indian grocery shop, some fruit/veg shops, or Harris Farm markets (if you have one near you).

The topping and syrup is based on my 6 x deep ramekins and is a perfect amount for them! If you use a shallower dish to make 1 big Knafeh or distribute the custard in more ramekins, then double/triple the topping and syrup ingredients.

THIS IS SOOO DELICIOUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you don't have orange blossom water or rose syrup you can always use Vanilla extract/paste for a Vanilla Baked Semolina Custard!

KNAFEH
(adapted from http://www.projectsweetstuff.com/knafeh-made-for-memories/)

Topping

60 grams cornflakes
20 grams pistachios

Custard

1000 grams full cream milk
300 grams thickened cream
80 grams cornflour
85 grams semolina
120 grams sugar
1 tablespoon orange blossom water
1 tablespoon rose water

Syrup

100 grams sugar
60 grams water
1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water
1/2 teaspoon rose water

Method:

Topping

1. Add cornflakes to bowl - turbo x 2. Set aside (note if you want 'finer' cornflakes blitz 5 seconds/Speed 7).
2. Add pistachios to bowl - turbo x 1. Set aside.

Custard

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
2. Add all custard ingredients to bowl - cook 11 minutes/90 degrees/Speed 4.
3. Pour into 6 ramekins.
4. Top with cornflakes and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Wash and dry bowl then make the syrup whilst the custard cooks...

Syrup

1. Add all syrup ingredients - cook 2 minutes/100 degrees/Speed 2.

To serve

1. Top with syrup and pistachios to serve.

This is best served fresh and warm! Mmmmmm...

If you are making this beforehand, it tastes best reheated in the microwave, not oven. In the oven it seems to get firmer, in the microwave it maintains the original custardy sloppy consistency (possibly because the oven is dry heat??) I microwave 1 x ramekin for 2 minutes and it is perfect!