Air Fryer Mini Kunafa Cups (Knafeh)

Ingredients

• 200 g kataifi (shredded filo) pastry, thawed and teased apart into loose strands
• 100 g butter, melted
• 200 g low-moisture mozzarella, shredded (or akkawi/Syrian cheese if you can get it)
• ¾ cup sugar, for the syrup
• ½ tsp rose water or orange blossom water (optional)
• Crushed pistachios, to finish (optional)
• Juice of ½ a lemon, for the syrup

Steps

1. Make the syrup first so it has time to cool: simmer the sugar with ½ cup water and the lemon juice for 5 minutes until slightly thickened, then stir in the rose water and set aside to cool completely - a hot syrup on a hot pastry turns it soggy instead of crisp.
2. Tease the kataifi strands apart with your fingers so they separate into loose threads rather than staying in a solid clump - this is what lets them crisp instead of steaming.
3. Toss the strands thoroughly with the melted butter until every strand is coated and glossy.
4. Press a thin, even layer of the buttered kataifi into the base and up the sides of 4 small oven-safe ramekins or mini tart tins, leaving a hollow centre.
5. Fill each hollow with the shredded mozzarella, then top with a final layer of buttered kataifi, pressing gently so it's compact.
6. Preheat the air fryer to 180°C.
7. Arrange the ramekins in the basket (in batches if they don't all fit with airflow space around each) and air fry for 6 minutes.
8. Check the top strands are turning golden, rotate the ramekins if one side of the basket runs hotter, then air fry a further 5-6 minutes (11-12 minutes total) until deep golden and crisp, with the cheese visibly melted.
9. While still hot, invert each ramekin onto a plate so the golden top becomes the base, then spoon the cooled sugar syrup over immediately - pouring it on while the pastry is hot is what makes it soak in rather than just sit on top.
10. Scatter with crushed pistachios and serve right away, while the cheese centre is still stretchy.

Tip: Keep the syrup cold and the kunafa hot when they meet - that temperature contrast is what gives proper knafeh its crisp-outside, soft-stretchy-inside texture; if the syrup is warm, the pastry goes soft instead of staying crisp.

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Nutrition (per serving)

Estimated from standard ingredient data — actual values vary by brand and exact quantities used.

Serving & Storage