While the filling of the baklava typically contains nuts like almonds or pistachios, the kunafa is layered in between with soft cheeses like Nabulsi or Akkawi.
The flaky-nutty baklava has a mildly sweet taste; on the other hand, the kunafa has a contrasting sweet-savory flavor due to the combination of the cheese and syrup.
The baklava is cut into diamond or rectangular shapes to showcase its many layers of pastry with the nut filling but the kunafa is usually cut into rounds or rectangles, and served with a sprinkling of crushed pistachios on top.
Although modern day variations of the baklava aside, the classic Middle Eastern pastry has only one traditional form – whereas the kunafa has two – known as khishneh and na’ameh – each one with a separate appearance but same concept.
The crisp pastries that are juxtaposed by their rich fillings of crushed nuts, soft cheese and sweetened, syrupy glaze – are different from one another for more reasons than one. Get to know more.
The thin layers of filo pastry in the baklava give it a vastly crisp texture when bitten into whereas the kunafa has a certain softness due to the gooey cheese that is sandwiched between the shreds of crunchy pastry.