Knafa Bjoz

Egyptian konafa

Egypt's Ramadan konafa, made from fine threads and filled with cream or nuts, plus newer mango and Nutella versions.

By Knafa Bjoz editorsPublished

Also known as: konafa, kunafa bil ishta, konafa with cream, كنافة بالقشطة

In Egypt, konafa is above all a Ramadan sweet.[1] The classic fillings are cream or nuts rather than cheese.[1]

The fillings

  • Cream. Konafa stuffed with cream.[1] Claudia Roden’s konafa with a cream filling is one well-known recipe; its syrup uses lemon juice and orange blossom water.[3]
  • Nuts. Many families buy fresh threads and fill them at home with sugar and nuts before baking.[2]
  • New versions. Mango with cream between two layers of konafa, and konafa spread with Nutella.[1]

How Egyptian kunafani make the threads, by hand and by machine, is in Kunafa in Egypt.

Sources

  1. 1.Hend El-Behary. Konafa creations: The sumptuous sweets of Ramadan 2016. Egypt Independent, 2016.
  2. 2.Ramadan Al Sherbini. Tasteful art of kunafa making all but lost. Gulf News. Last updated 28 March 2020.
  3. 3.Darina Allen: Claudia Roden's Konafa with a Cream Filling. Irish Examiner, 2016.