Recipe: Turkish Künefe (one of Turkey’s most delicious desserts!)

Thanks to its unique location, Turkey is a treasure trove of culinary dishes. Cookbook author Hale Amus grew up in Istanbul but moved to the Netherlands in 2016, where she opened her restaurant Turkish Tale. In The Bible of Turkish Cuisine, Hale shares recipes from Turkey’s various regional cuisines, such as this künefe.

Hale: “Künefe is considered one of Turkey’s most delicious desserts and is also my personal favorite. If you really want to keep it traditional, you can easily find künefe plates in Turkish gift shops or online. Delicious with Turkish tea or Turkish coffee.”

How to make künefe

• Bring the sugar and 120 milliliters of water to a boil. Add the lemon juice and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set the syrup aside to cool.
• Place the kadayif in a large bowl and knead the melted butter through it with your hands. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions.
• Mix the ghee and molasses in a small bowl.

When using künefe plates:

• Brush a künefe plate with 1⁄4 of the ghee mixture. Spread 1 portion of dough over the plate and press it down firmly. Spread 1⁄2 of the cheese over the dough, leaving 1 centimeter clear around the edge. Cover the cheese with 1 more portion of dough and press firmly on top and around the edge.
• Bake the künefe over medium-high heat for 4 à minutes until golden brown. Using kitchen tongs, continuously rotate the plate and make sure the heat remains beneath the edge of the plate as much as possible.
• Brush the second plate with the same amount of ghee. Place the plate on top of the künefe and carefully turn it over using oven mitts or 2 tea towels. Bake the other side for another 4 à 5 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the heat, pour 1⁄2 of the syrup over it and sprinkle with 1⁄2 of the pistachios. Prepare the second künefe in the same way.

When using a pan:

• Brush a 20 à 22-centimeter frying pan with 1⁄2 of the ghee. Spread 2 portions of dough over the bottom of the pan and press down firmly. Spread the remaining cheese over the dough, leaving 1 centimeter clear around the edge. Cover the cheese with the remaining 2 portions of dough and press firmly on top and around the edge.
• Heat the frying pan over medium heat and bake the künefe for approximately 8 à 10 minutes until golden brown. Cover the pan with a large flat plate, turn the künefe onto it and carefully slide the künefe from the plate back into the pan onto the other side. Bake for another 8 à 10 minutes on the other side. Remove from the heat, pour the syrup over it and sprinkle with the pistachios.

Title: The Bible of Turkish Cuisine
Author: Hale Amus
Price: €34,99
Publisher: Carrera Culinair

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