{"id":6480,"date":"2026-10-20T22:52:28","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T03:52:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.madeinliban.com\/how-to-make-homemade-lebanese-kanafa\/"},"modified":"2026-10-28T14:37:04","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T19:37:04","slug":"how-to-make-homemade-lebanese-kanafa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.madeinliban.com\/ar\/how-to-make-homemade-lebanese-kanafa\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Make Homemade Lebanese Kanafa (Knefeh bi Jibneh)"},"content":{"rendered":"

A crisp, buttery crust over a layer of soft, stretchy white cheese, soaked at the last minute with cold scented syrup. This is the knefeh Lebanese families line up for on a Sunday morning.<\/em><\/p>\n

Recipe Information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Prep time<\/th>\n30 minutes (plus 2 hours to desalt the cheese)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cook time<\/th>\n30 minutes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Serves<\/th>\n8<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Difficulty<\/th>\nMedium<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Origin<\/th>\nTripoli and across Lebanon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Diet<\/th>\nVegetarian<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Kanafa (knefeh in Lebanese dialect) is a warm cheese pastry: a golden layer of shredded dough on top, a thick layer of mild melting cheese underneath, and sugar syrup scented with orange blossom poured over just before serving. Tripoli is its capital in Lebanon, and old sweet houses there still serve it in the morning, often tucked into a sesame ka’ak bun as a breakfast sandwich. At home it is a weekend treat, a dessert for guests, and a favourite during Ramadan evenings.<\/p>\n

What makes a good knefeh is contrast: a crust that stays crisp, cheese that stretches without turning rubbery or salty, and syrup that is cold when it meets the hot pastry, so it soaks in without making the crust soggy. This home version uses kataifi (shredded pastry dough), pulsed fine to imitate the smooth “naameh” crust of Tripoli bakeries.<\/p>\n

Ingredients<\/h2>\n

For the syrup (ater)<\/h3>\n