My favorite Middle Eastern dessert of all time is Knafeh. Knafeh is a traditional Palestinian dessert made with cheese, shredded dough, and soaked in a sweet syrup. The dessert traces its origins to the city of Nablus, where it is most famously made with Nabulsi cheese.
Growing up, we had knafeh on special occasions. Namely, when my parents hosted big parties, during the holidays, or while on travel in Jordan. With the majority of Jordan’s population being of Palestinian decent until the early 2000s, Palestinian knafeh could be found just about anywhere in Amman. The best, however, is Habiba’s knafeh. Downtown Amman is home to one of the first locations, hidden in an alley way, with the smell of sweet cheese and syrup wafting through the street and only room for 10 people to stand cramped in front of a glass-lined counter where knafeh is being made, cut and served at lightning speed.
Knafeh has a special place in my heart. My love for it led me to create a modern twist on a Palestinian classic, Knafeh Cheesecake. While it isn’t Nabulsi-level, my Knafeh Cheesecake embodies everything knafeh should be – cheesy, sweet, and too good not to eat!
What’s your favorite Middle Eastern Dessert? Let me know in the comments.
Ingredients
- 4 packages cream cheese
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Orange Blossom Water
- 1 6oz can eshta
- 1/2 package Kataifi
- 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter, melted
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon orange Blossom Water
- Juice from ½ lemon
- 1/2 package Kataifi
- 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter, melted
- Syrup (Recipe Below)
- Pistachios and Rose petals for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Prepare your pan by Spray 9 inch springform pan with cooking spray, then line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, then spray again
- Prepare the crust by shredding/cutting ½ package of kataifi by hand and with the help of kitchen scissors
- In a large bowl, mix together the kataifi and ¾ cup melted butter, then transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and bake about 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until deep golden brown
- Press the kataifi into the bottom of the springform pan
- Prepare the topping by shredding/cutting the rest of the kataifi by hand and with the help of kitchen scissors
- In a large bowl, mix together the kataifi and ¾ cup melted butter, then transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and bake about 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes until deep golden brown
- While still hot, pour the syrup onto the kataifi and strain the excess syrup. Set aside
- Using the paddle attachment to a stand mixer, beat together cream cheese until fluffy
- Add the sugar and eshta and beat on medium speed until fluffy
- Add the eggs, one by one, and one teaspoon orange blossom water and mix on low speed until combined
- Pour the filling into the springform pan
- Bake for 55 minutes
- Turn the oven off, keeping the pan inside
- Remove the pan from the oven and cool on a cooling rack for 2 hours, until completely cool
- Keeping the cheesecake in the pan, cover and refrigerate overnight
- Carefully remove the cheesecake out of the pan, top with kataifi topping and crushed pistachios
- In a small heavy saucepan, combine sugar, water and lemon juice
- Bring to a boil over medium high heat
- Reduce heat to low, add 1 teaspoons orange blossom water and simmer for 10 minutes (until the syrup thickens. You can test this by dipping the end of a spoon. If it coats the end of the spoon, it's ready)
