KANAFEH CHEESECAKE

New York cheesecake just got a Middle Eastern makeover!  Sweet and crunchy kanafeh pastry, sandwiches wealthy and creamy keshta-topped cheesecake. A drizzle of a cinnamon and cardamom kissed sugar syrup ties the flavors together.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CHEESECAKE LAYER: (SEE NOTE ABOVE)  2 kilos (907 grams) cream cheese, softened to room temperature  1¼ cups (250 grams) granulated sugar  ½ cup (130 grams) sour cream  1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, optional  1½ teaspoons natural vanilla extract or 1 tablespoon imitation vanilla flavoring  four huge eggs  Boiling water, for the water bath FOR THE SUGAR SYRUP:  2 cups (400g) granulated sugar  1 cup water  A squeeze of lemon  1 cinnamon stick  2 cardamom pods, cracked FOR THE KANAFEH TOPPING:  ⅓ cup plus 1 teaspoon (85g) unsalted butter (or ghee)  ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar  170g kunafa, or kataifi/kadaifi pastry, recent or frozen (If utilizing fresh, freeze for an hour for simpler cutting. If utilizing frozen, thaw slightly) FOR THE KANAFEH BOTTOM CRUST:  ⅓ cup plus 1 teaspoon (85g) unsalted butter (or ghee)  3 (37g) tablespoons cup (50g) granulated sugar  170g kunafa, or kataifi/kadaifi pastry, recent or frozen (If utilizing fresh, freeze for an hour for simpler cutting. If utilizing frozen, thaw slightly) FOR TOPPING AND GARNISH:  1 cup (227g) keshta (Arabic cream), clotted cream or creme fraishe  1/4 cup pistachios or diverse favored nuts, chopped  pink or any diverse coloured edible pearls or sprinkles or dried roses, optional INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CHEESECAKE LAYER: (COULD BE PREPARED UP TO SEVERAL DAYS IN ADVANCE) Adjust oven rack to lower-middle function and warmth oven to 325F/160C. Keep a roasting pan or a baking dish giant sufficient to dangle the cheesecake pan local to make use of for water bath. Bring kettle or huge saucepan of water to boil. Spray a 9 or 10-inch springform pan with a nonstick spray, then line the backside with a spherical of parchment paper, then spray again. Wrap a triple layer of foil circular the backside and up the facets of the pan, to seal it effectively so the water from the water bath does no longer seep into the pan and wreck the cheesecake. In the bowl of a stand mixer outfitted with the paddle attachment, or in a huge bowl and a hand-held mixer, beat the cream cheese till tender and creamy. Add within the sugar and beat till effectively combined. Add within the sour cream, lemon juice (if using) and vanilla, and blend till incorporated. Add the eggs, one at a time, blending effectively after every addition. Scrape down the facets and backside of the bowl, then beat the combination for a couple of additional seconds till the batter is smooth. Be cautious to no longer overmix. If the batter has plenty of cream cheese lumps, pour it by a positive mesh strainer to tender it a out. Pour the batter into the willing pan. Transfer the pan into the roasting pan. Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan, taking care to no longer splash water into the cheesecake pan, till water reaches midway by the peak of the cheesecake batter. Bake the cheesecake for 55 to 70 minutes till the cheesecake's outer three inches seem to be somewhat puffed and set, however the interior circle nonetheless jiggles somewhat whilst you gently shake the pan. Cheesecakes baked in a 10-inch pan will often practice dinner in 50 to 55 minutes, and these in a 9-inch pan will practice dinner in 55 to 60 minutes. The inner temperature of the cheesecake's core have to registers 165F/74C. Remove the roasting pan with the cheesecake pan from the oven. Take the cheesecake pan out of the roasting pan, and unwrap the foil. Return the cheesecake pan into the became off oven and crack the oven door open to let it cool gradually. This prevents the cheesecake from collapsing and facilitates save away from cracks from happening. Let the cheesecake cool slowly for one hour. Take the cheesecake out of the oven and switch to a wire rack. Run a thin-bladed knife circular the part of the cake to make certain it is no longer sticking to the sides. Let the cheesecake cool fully at the rack. When it has cooled, wrap the cheesecake pan in plastic wrap and switch to the freezer till effectively frozen, no less than 6 hours, or preferably overnight. Meanwhile practice the relaxation of the cake components. FOR THE SUGAR SYRUP: (COULD BE PREPARED UP TO A WEEK IN ADVANCE) In a medium saucepan, over excessive heat, combine collectively the sugar, water, squeeze of lemon, cinnamon stick, and cardamom. Bring to a boil, then at this time scale back the warmth to low and let it simmer for 10 minutes no longer more. Set a timer! The syrup will thicken slightly, and have a consistency same to pancake syrup. Transfer to a bowl or gravy boat and set apart to cool fully earlier than using. FOR THE KANAFEH TOPPING: While the kanafeh is nonetheless semi-frozen, holiday it among your fingers to crumble into small pieces. Kanefeh shreds simplest whilst semi-frozen. In a huge pan (the greater the better) over medium heat, melt the butter (or ghee). Add within the sugar and stir till it begins to dissolve; about 30 seconds. Add within the shredded kanafeh and stir effectively till frivolously coated with the butter and sugar. It might be hard to stir at first, but will calm down simply due to the fact the kanafeh begins to toast. Continue stirring constantly, being cautious to no longer get any burn marks, till the kanafeh is frivolously golden brown in shade and also can additionally just very well be very crunchy; about 10 minutes. Transfer the kanafeh crumbs to a bowl and permit to cool fully earlier than using. Cooled caramelized kunafa will maintain well, included tightly with plastic wrap for about a week. FOR THE KANAFEH BOTTOM CRUST: Remove the cheesecake from the freezer, take off the facets of the pan, turn the cheesecake upside down on a plate, slide a knife beneath the backside to remove. Peel parchment spherical to remove. Cover cheesecake with plastic wrap and maintain within the freezer till needed. Wash and dry the cheesecake pan and use to make the kanafeh backside crust. Over a medium bowl, shred the kanafeh into small items then pour within the butter (or ghee), and sugar and utilizing your hands, blend everything effectively together, rubbing the butter into the kanafeh till frivolously coated. Transfer the kanafeh combination to the pan and firmly press the buttered kanafeh into the cheesecake pan backside and a bit over the sides, simply due to the fact it's going to shrink simply due to the fact it bakes. Using the flat backside of measuring cup or ramekin, firmly press to pack the combination correct into a compact layer. Bake till deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. While nonetheless hot, pour sufficient sugar syrup to coat the surface, about 1/4cup. Let it cool fully earlier than layering the cheesecake on higher of it. ASSEMBLING THE CAKE: Take off the facets at the springform pan with the kanafeh backside crust, then gently slide the kanafeh on to a serving platter or cake stand. Take the cheesecake layer out of the freezer and region on higher of the kanafeh bottom. This have to be just done, for the reason that frozen cheesecake is agency sufficient to be carried with out breakage. Spread the keshta, clotted cream or creme fraiche on higher of the cheesecake. Top the cheesecake with the konafa shreds, piling it in a mountain-like fashion. Garnish with the chopped pistachios and edible pearls or sprinkles, if using. Let the cheesecake defrost to a groovy room temperature for a variety of hours earlier than serving. This might take as much as four hours. Cut into wedges and serve drizzling additional sugar syrup at the cheesecake layer. Due to the kanafeh's crunch quick life span, the assembled cheesecake is greatest loved the day its made. Leftovers will maintain effectively within the fridge for a variety of days, but a few of the kanafeh crunch might be lost.

I admit it…I haven’t been dwelling as much as my Egyptian…ness? Egyptianality? Egyptianism? circular here.

And though my language abilities just proved it, my recipes have been removed from it.

I’ve been running a blog for four months now and the quantity of Egyptian/Middle Eastern recipes I’ve featured, boils down to…ZERO!

It’s excessive time I set issues proper and I’m beginning with this, lo and behold…drumroll please…NEW YORK CHEESECAKE.  LOL!!!

For realz though…I got all of it dressed up in a in actual fact Middle Eastern fashion…Kanafeh guys!

Have you ever met the gloriousness that's Kanafeh?

My oh my, if I might devour one Middle Eastern dessert for the relaxation of my life, kanafeh will certain be IT!


Kanafeh, kenafeh, kunāfah, künefe, knafeh, kunafeh, knafeh, konafa, with its 101 spelling and pronunciation options, is a lengthy thin noodle-like pastry generally comprised of shredded phyllo.  Unbaked and unadorned, it tastes like…well…nothing really.  But blended with butter, or additional often ghee, then baked and drenched in sugar syrup, transforms into sweet, crunchy golden strands of heaven.

It’s a specialty dessert of the Middle East, Turkey, and Greece the place it’s known as kadaïfi or kataïfi.  Due to an enormous section of the Middle East being beneath the Ottoman Empire rule within the past, we have a tendency to share virtually equal dishes with Turkey and Greece.  Hello Baklava and Moussaka!

There are as many diverse methods to make Kanafeh as there are of spelling it.  In Egypt, probably essentially the foremost widespread method is to layer it with a creamy pudding-like filling within the core and baked it off in a spherical cake pan.  The quit end end effect is scrumpiously candy and crunchy at the outside, creamy and dreamy at the inside.  Nut fillings and cheese fillings also are typical, especially in neighboring countries.

Wait…Did any man or woman say CHEESE?


I mean, if kanafeh might be made with ricotta, mozzarella, feta, goat and akkawi cheese, then why have to cream cheese ever say no?!

I was firm to discover the reply to that by stuffing it with the greatest method doubtless to devour cream cheese…Cheesecake baby!  A big, fat, complete sized-cheesecake, encased within a overseas object…the kanafeh.  I brainstormed and brainstormed till my mind hurt, and here's what I got here up with:

A cinnamon and cardamom scented sugar syrup soaked kanafeh backside crust, takes region of the otherwise typical graham cracker crust, adopted by a baked New York kind cheesecake, which will get slathered with Arabic cream (keshta), then topped with piles of additional sugar-syrup soaked konafa shreds and a sprinkling of pistachios and pink edible pearls.

Kanafeh? Goood.  Cheesecake? Goooooood?  Was I worried?  Yeeeeees.  Why you would possibly ask?  Individually, every thing is excellent in its own right. What I was frightened about is that if it was gonna work collectively and tie the knot.

The verdict?  It worked!  The distinction among the crunchiness of the kanafeh and the creaminess of the cheesecake is so good.  I discovered it essential though, so as to feature additional drizzles of syrup at the cheesecake layer on my plate…it just ties everything together. Adventurous eaters, foodies and these with a additional subtle fashion palate, once you will, have been delighted with the advent and stored going for seconds.  Surpisingly, my very choosy eater son beloved it too and he by no means likes anything!  For God’s sake, the little guy doesn’t like cookies…of any kind!  But he beloved this.  Traditionalists at the diverse hand have been additional like…how about subsequent time you make us a kanafeh and a cheesecake on separate plates?! Heartbreak aside, ethical of the story: if you’re planning to make this, positioned your viewers into consideration.  It’s truly no longer your run-off-the-mill cheesecake, so naturally its no longer for everyone.

Another factor I have to inform you earlier than we make this together, is that I wasn’t in actual fact planning on sharing this at the weblog just yet, simply due to the fact I needed to experiment it out first earlier than making the bloggable one.  But then midway through, I decided that I’ll have nothing to lose if I take photographs anyway.  Therefore, you’ll be aware that the making of the cheesecake layer photographs are lacking and that’s simply due to the fact I baked it the evening before, and no longer using a past intentions of sharing it here.  Don’t fear though, the recipe is explained within the fussiest facts below.

Plus…I just up to date the recipe with a video!  So hopefully which will make up for the loss of photographs 😉


So let’s pretend that we just made a crustless cheesecake batter, baked it, cooled it then iced over it till its hard.  We want the cheesecake layer to be fully frozen, so we might just switch it on higher of the backside kanafeh crust.  So do this step a day ahead.

Also make the sugar syrup and let it cool completely.

Ok, now some photographs to save the day.

You’ll take half the quantity of kanafeh dough that you’re gonna be using, and shred it into truly small pieces.  Then practice dinner it with butter (or ghee) and sugar…

A Middle Eastern spin on a ice cream favorite!  Vanilla ice cream layered with bananas, salted caramel sauce and caramelized cinnamon kunafa crumbs for crunch..Heavenly!

Till it has gorgeously toasted and wafting with buttery, caramelized aromas.  The purpose why I upload the sugar throughout the cooking job and never after (which is the norm), is that I love how the sugar melts and coats the kanafeh shreds with caramelization.  This provides the kunafa even additional crunch, longer shelf life and additional diverse flavor.

A Middle Eastern spin on a ice cream favorite!  Vanilla ice cream layered with bananas, salted caramel sauce and caramelized cinnamon kunafa crumbs for crunch..Heavenly!

After that, you’ll switch on to make your kanafeh backside crust.  This time, don’t shred it, just merely loosen the strands from every other.  Then coat it effectively with some melted butter or ghee.


Now press it truly firmly within the backside of the springform pan.  Bake till deep golden brown and back soak with the sugar syrup proper away.  Allow to cool, then get it out of the pan and slide it on in your serving platter or cake stand.

Get your frozen cheesecake from the freezer and merely region on higher of the backside kanafeh crust.  Because the cheesecake is frozen, this step have to be a breeze.

Now unfold some kesha, clotted cream or creme fraiche for that actual Arabic touch.



Pile on that kanafeh till your heart’s content.


Then sprinkle it pleased with some pistachios and edible pearls…or sprinkles!  Let the cheesecake layer defrost…


And voila…your Middle Eastern fusion dessert is now competent to be devoured.  And oh…I pretty suggest including an additional drizzle of the syrup at the cheesecake layer of your slice.   It just ties everything together.



All that’s left to claim now also can additionally just be “Bel hana wel shefa”…or as they are saying in my nation as you’re served food…”with bliss and healing.”  Ok that just sounded weird.

Just…Enjoy y’all!!!


RECIPE NOTES

• I like Philadelphia model block cream cheese, as effectively as Kiri Creamy from the tub.
• Sour cream provides a nice tangy taste to the cheesecake, but heavy whipping cream might be substituted for a additional mellow flavor. Half the quantity of both, will provide you the greatest of equally worlds.