Künefe—sweet Turkish cheese dessert
A classic Turkish dessert of crisp kadayif pastry and soft cheese soaked in sweet syrup. A dash of Kikkoman Soy Sauce adds subtle umami depth, creating a beautifully balanced sweet-and-savoury treat.
Ingredients
Optional:
Preparation
Step 1
1 organic lime – 125 g honey – 3 tbsp Kikkoman Naturally Brewed Soy Sauce – ¼ tsp ground cinnamon – 3 drops rose water (or orange blossom water or lemon juice)
Finely grate some zest from the lime, then halve and juice it. Put the zest and juice in a small pan with the honey, Kikkoman Soy Sauce, cinnamon and about 75 ml water. Simmer gently for 3–5 minutes, then add the rose water if desired.
Step 2
100 g butter – 200 g kadayif (shredded pastry)
Melt the butter, then mix thoroughly with the kadayif until the pastry is evenly coated.
Step 3
Butter for the pan – 250 g grated Dil Peyniri (or 170 g grated mozzarella and 80 g labneh, or 250 g mozzarella)
Grease a 22 cm pan (or 4–8 small ramekins) generously with butter. Press half the buttered kadayif mixture firmly into the pan. Spread the cheese on top, leaving a 1 cm border around the edge. Cover with the remaining kadayif mixture and press down until firm with rounded edges.
Set the pan over a low to medium heat and cook for 3–5 minutes until the base is golden brown. Flip onto a plate to turn it over and cook for another 2–4 minutes until the second side is golden.
Step 4
2 oranges – 2 tbsp icing sugar – 40 g chopped pistachios – 200 g kaymak (Turkish clotted cream), optional
Peel the oranges and cut into segments. Drizzle the künefe with about three-quarters of the syrup, dust with the icing sugar, then scatter over the pistachios and orange segments. Serve with the remaining syrup and, if you like, some kaymak.
Tip:
Künefe looks especially elegant for a celebratory meal when baked in individual ramekins. If you like, garnish with edible gold glitter or dust for an extra festive touch.
Recipe-ID: 1619
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1 organic lime – 125 g honey – 3 tbsp Kikkoman Naturally Brewed Soy Sauce – ¼ tsp ground cinnamon – 3 drops rose water (or orange blossom water or lemon juice)
Finely grate some zest from the lime, then halve and juice it. Put the zest and juice in a small pan with the honey, Kikkoman Soy Sauce, cinnamon and about 75 ml water. Simmer gently for 3–5 minutes, then add the rose water if desired.
100 g butter – 200 g kadayif (shredded pastry)
Melt the butter, then mix thoroughly with the kadayif until the pastry is evenly coated.
Butter for the pan – 250 g grated Dil Peyniri (or 170 g grated mozzarella and 80 g labneh, or 250 g mozzarella)
Grease a 22 cm pan (or 4–8 small ramekins) generously with butter. Press half the buttered kadayif mixture firmly into the pan. Spread the cheese on top, leaving a 1 cm border around the edge. Cover with the remaining kadayif mixture and press down until firm with rounded edges.
Set the pan over a low to medium heat and cook for 3–5 minutes until the base is golden brown. Flip onto a plate to turn it over and cook for another 2–4 minutes until the second side is golden.
2 oranges – 2 tbsp icing sugar – 40 g chopped pistachios – 200 g kaymak (Turkish clotted cream), optional
Peel the oranges and cut into segments. Drizzle the künefe with about three-quarters of the syrup, dust with the icing sugar, then scatter over the pistachios and orange segments. Serve with the remaining syrup and, if you like, some kaymak.
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