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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