Kunafa with Cream

This version of the classic Middle Eastern dessert known as kunafa replaces the usual cheese with light, billowy whipped cream flavored with a touch of rose water. The cream is sandwiched between buttery layers of golden crunchy kataifi for the dessert’s signature contrast in textures. The kataifi (shredded phyllo pastry) is baked until crispy in two separate layers, the bottom one covered with a rose-scented simple syrup for perfect sweetness. It’s ready to slice and serve in under 2 hours and works well for serving a crowd.

Cheese Bourekas

A creamy cheese filling flecked with herbs makes these golden pastries a favorite, and they’re surprisingly easy to bake at home. Also known as borek, burek or byrek, bourekas are a treat popular in Turkey, Israel and around the Middle East and Baltics. The savory filling can vary (meat, cheese, and vegetables are common) as can the type of flaky dough, often puff pastry or phyllo. However you stuff them, bourekas are a great handheld snack, appetizer or light meal. This version uses a rich no-cook cheese filling and store-bought puff pastry for convenience. Bourekas can be folded into many shapes, but we chose a one-fold triangle to speed assembly. They’re great for a party since they can be formed up to a day ahead of time and refrigerated until you’re ready to bake.

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Satisfy your sweet by adding this luscious fruit to everything from smoothies to desserts.