Lebanese · dessert

Knafeh

Knafeh reads citrus 6.2, sweetness 5.6 and richness 5.4 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Lebanese dessert, about 20 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 3.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 6.4 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.4 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.9 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.8 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.8 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 6.2 · Sweetness 5.6 · Richness 5.4 · Nutty 4.5 · Sourness 4.2 · Herbaceous 3.6 · Salinity 2.8 · Fruity 2.6 · Umami 2.1 · Floral 2.0 · Earthy 1.8 · Warm Spice 1.2 · Bitterness 1.2

What's in it (9)

• 12 oz kadayif (shredded wheat)
• 8 oz akkawi, desalted
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp orange blossom water
• 1 tbsp rose water
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp ground pistachios

Time & effort: about 20 min · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 299 kcal, 3.2 g protein, 11.7 g fat, 47 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (5 steps)

1. Coat shredded dough in melted butter and press half into a pan.
2. Spread desalted cheese and cover with remaining dough.
3. Bake at 200C until golden, then flip.
4. Pour warm orange blossom syrup over immediately and top with pistachios.
5. Eat hot.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Cucumber Peanut Salad — Thai
• Mahalabiya (Rose Water Milk Pudding) — Egyptian
• Rétes (Hungarian Strudel) — Hungarian
• Panellets de Pinyons — Spanish · Catalonia
• Harissa Roasted Cauliflower Steaks — Middle Eastern

Keep reading: what citrus, sweetness, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.