
Kunefe
Aug 02, 2018Posted by guestchefPrintSpecial thanks to our Community Contributor, Harout Ichlokmanian, for a delicious dish that can be made in a wood or gas fired oven.
He tells us that, “This is an amazing middle eastern dessert that has been passed down for generations! I am Armenian, and most Armenians love to have Kunefe for special occasions.” Well, we invite you to stretch our horizons and try this dessert for yourself! It’s a cultural treat that is sure to impress.

Kunefe
A flaky, sweet and savory Armenian dessert.
Ingredients
Dough
- 16 oz fillo dough Shredded (also known as phyllo or filo dough)
- 32 oz Fresh Mozzerella Cheese Sliced (BelGioioso brand)
- 3 sticks butter
Syrup
- 3 cups caster sugar (also known as baker's sugar or superfine sugar)
- 1 cup water
- 2 Tbsp orange blossom water
- 1 lemon Juiced
Instructions
Dough
- Start by shredding the fillo dough by hand into small pieces.
- Melt butter in the microwave for approximately 1 minute or until fully melted. Pour melted butter over your shredded fillo dough and mix it up by hand to fully incorporate the butter.
- In a 12" cast iron pan, spread half of your fillo dough, than evenly place all of the cheese, and cover it with the rest of the fillo dough.
- Place the dish in your Forno Bravo oven with the temperature at a mild 350°F for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
Syrup & Finishing
- For the syrup, add the sugar and water to a pan and bring it to a boil. (This can be done on a stove top or by placing the pan just inside the oven mouth, stirring frequently.) Once the sugar has fully dissolved, turn off the heat/remove for heat, and add the lemon juice and orange blossom water.
- Once the Kunefe has been removed from the oven, cut it into squares and serve hot with 2 tablespoons of syrup for each serving. Enjoy!