Ramadan Pastry with Shredded Coconut and Raisins: Kunafa bil Zabib wa Joz al Hind كنافة بالزبيب و جوز الهند

Kunafa is a pastry dessert eaten during Ramadan throughout most of the Arab world. The very fine threads of Konafa pastry are filled with sweet cheese, nuts or even mango. It can be made in a variety of ways, including in individual forms, or in a frying pan on the hob, but cooking it in the oven is probably the easiest when making a larger quantity.

Ingredients:
500g konafa pastry
200g butter, melted

Syrup:
1 1⁄2 cups Sugar
2 cup water
2 tbsp orange blossom water/ rose water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 lemon slice
Filling:
1 cups walnuts, roughly chopped
1 cup sultanas or raisins

1cup shredded coconut
2 tbsp orange blossom water/ rose water
2 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp sugar

Optional

Qashta cream, whipped or double cream to serve

Prepare the syrup by combining the water and sugar and lemon. Simmer for 15-20 min until it reaches a syrupy consistency. Add orange blossom or rosewater and set aside to cool.

Loosen the stands of kunafa pastry with your hands, then pour melted butter over it and work it in.

 Mix the chopped walnuts with, sultanas, coconuts, cinnamon and sugar, add rose water and mix well.

Put half the pastry in a spring-form or loose base baking dish about 24 cm in diameter,  then spoon the walnuts, sultanas mix onto the pastry, spreading evenly. Cover with the remaining pastry, pressing it down with the palm of your hand.

 Cover with foil.

Bake in the oven at 220 degrees for 30 minutes, remove foil, return to oven until the top becomes golden. Remove from oven, place a plate over the tin and turn upside down, then pour the cool syrup over the hot pastry (or hot syrup over cold kunafa). Let it rest for 30 minutes.

 Serve warm or cold, with a spoonful of Qashta cream and a cup of Arabic coffee or  a glass of cold Qamar al Din!