Egyptian Konafa with Nuts (Printable)

Layers of crisp kataifi, spiced nuts, and honey syrup create a beloved Egyptian dessert experience.

# What You'll Need:

→ Konafa Base

01 - 1.1 lb kataifi (shredded phyllo dough), thawed
02 - 7 oz unsalted butter, melted

→ Nut Filling

03 - 5.3 oz walnuts, finely chopped
04 - 3.5 oz pistachios, finely chopped
05 - 1.8 oz almonds, finely chopped
06 - 4.2 tbsp granulated sugar
07 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 tsp ground cardamom

→ Honey Syrup

09 - 7 oz granulated sugar
10 - 1/2 cup water
11 - 2 tbsp honey
12 - 1 tsp lemon juice
13 - 1 tsp rose water or orange blossom water (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch round baking pan with melted butter.
02 - Loosen the kataifi strands gently with your fingers and divide the dough into two equal parts.
03 - Place half of the kataifi evenly in the baking pan, pressing down firmly. Drizzle with half of the melted butter.
04 - Combine the chopped walnuts, pistachios, almonds, sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom in a bowl. Spread this mixture evenly over the kataifi base.
05 - Cover the nut filling with the remaining kataifi, pressing gently to distribute evenly. Drizzle the rest of the melted butter over the top.
06 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the pastry turns golden brown and crisp.
07 - While baking, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in honey, lemon juice, and optional floral water. Allow to cool slightly.
08 - Once baked, immediately pour the warm syrup evenly over the hot konafa.
09 - Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before cutting into diamond or square shapes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Those impossibly thin, crispy layers shatter when you bite into them, giving way to warm spiced nuts and silky honey that still oozes from the center.
  • It looks far more complicated to make than it actually is, which means you'll feel like a magician pulling it from the oven.
  • One pan, minimal cleanup, and you'll have eight servings of something that tastes like it took hours but really didn't.
02 -
  • If you pour the syrup on cooled konafa instead of hot, it won't absorb properly and you'll end up with a soggy bottom and dry top—trust me, I learned this the hard way.
  • The kataifi must be completely thawed, or the strands will break apart as you work and your layers won't hold together the way they should.
  • Lemon juice isn't optional if you want a balanced syrup; without it, the honey overwhelms everything else and the whole thing tastes one-dimensionally sweet.
03 -
  • Buy your kataifi from a Middle Eastern market where there's turnover; frozen kataifi that's been sitting in the back of a regular grocery store for months will be dry and brittle.
  • The moment you open the thawed kataifi package, gently work it with your hands to loosen it before you even try to layer it—this prevents breakage and frustration.
  • If your butter seems too hot when you're brushing it on, let it cool for a minute; hot butter will cook the bottom layers of kataifi unevenly and create dark spots.
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