Middle Eastern Sweets Middle EasternMedium

Holiday Party Mini Knafeh Cups with Honey and Whipped Labneh

Name: Holiday Party Mini Knafeh Cups with Honey and Whipped Labneh
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 47 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 8 oz (225 g) kataifi noodles (shredded phyllo), thawed, separated into loose strands; 6 tbsp (90 ml) clarified butter (ghee), warm, warm but not smoking; ¼ tsp (1 g) fine sea salt; 3 tbsp (22 g) ground pistachios, finely ground; 16 oz (450 g) labneh (strained yogurt cheese), cold, at room temperature, brought from cold; ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, cold, cold; 2 tbsp (30 ml) honey, at room temperature; ½ tsp (2 ml) vanilla extract; ¼ tsp (1 ml) rose water (optional); ½ cup (60 g) sliced almonds, toasted; ½ cup (120 ml) honey, warmed gently; ¼ cup (45 g) pomegranate arils (seeds) (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crispy golden kataifi pastry cups filled with a cloud-light whipped labneh mousse, drizzled with warm honey, and topped with toasted almonds. These individual servings are sophisticated enough for holiday entertaining and can be assembled ahead, then baked just before serving for maximum crispness. Each cup combines the satisfying crunch of shredded phyllo with creamy Middle Eastern yogurt cheese and floral honey notes.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 22 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 1 hr 2 min
Makes: 12 mini cups

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the cups
8 oz (225 g) kataifi noodles (shredded phyllo), thawed, separated into loose strands
6 tbsp (90 ml) clarified butter (ghee), warm, warm but not smoking
¼ tsp (1 g) fine sea salt
3 tbsp (22 g) ground pistachios, finely ground
For the filling
16 oz (450 g) labneh (strained yogurt cheese), cold, at room temperature, brought from cold
½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, cold, cold
2 tbsp (30 ml) honey, at room temperature
½ tsp (2 ml) vanilla extract
¼ tsp (1 ml) rose water (optional)
For assembly
½ cup (60 g) sliced almonds, toasted
½ cup (120 ml) honey, warmed gently
¼ cup (45 g) pomegranate arils (seeds) (optional)

Equipment (9)

Standard 12-cup muffin tin
Two baking sheets (or reheat muffin tin between batches)
Small saucepan
Medium and large mixing bowls
Electric mixer or whisk
Pastry brush (2-inch wide)
Small spoon or measuring spoon
Toothpicks or small skewers for unmolding
Cooling racks

Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) with racks positioned in the upper and lower thirds
Thaw kataifi noodles at room temperature for 30 minutes (do not unwrap yet)
Have all ingredients measured and at room temperature before beginning
Clarified butter should be warm but not smoking when you're ready to brush

1
Toast almonds and grind pistachiosOven 375°F / 190°C
- Spread sliced almonds on a small baking sheet and toast in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 5–6 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, until fragrant and golden.
- Remove and let cool slightly.
- If not using pre-ground pistachios, pulse them in a food processor until finely ground; you should have about 3 tablespoons.
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Ready when: Almonds are golden and fragrant
Tip: Don't skip toasting; it deepens flavor and improves texture
2
Prepare kataifi noodles and season
- Separate the thawed kataifi noodles gently into loose strands, breaking them apart with your fingers into roughly 2-inch pieces.
- Place in a large mixing bowl and add the warm clarified butter, sea salt, and ground pistachios.
- Toss with your hands until every strand is lightly coated and evenly distributed.
- The mixture should feel loose and slightly wet.
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Ready when: Kataifi is evenly coated and light golden in color
Tip: Separate noodles gently to avoid packing them; they should be airy
3
Fill muffin cups with kataifi
- Working quickly (while the butter is still warm), divide the buttered kataifi among the 12 muffin cups, pressing gently into the bottom and up the sides with your fingers to form a cup shape.
- You want the noodles to come about halfway up the sides and form a hollow center for the filling.
- Use about 1½ tablespoons of the mixture per cup.
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Ready when: All 12 cups are evenly filled and shaped
Tip: Work fast before the butter cools and firms; wet fingers help prevent sticking
4
Bake kataifi cups until goldenOven 375°F / 190°C
- Place the muffin tin in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven on the lower rack.
- Bake for 12–14 minutes, rotating the tin halfway through, until the kataifi is deep golden brown and crispy.
- The edges should look slightly darker than the centers.
- Remove and let cool in the tin for 3 minutes, then carefully loosen each cup with a small spoon or toothpick and transfer to a cooling rack.
- They will crisp further as they cool.
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Ready when: Kataifi is deep golden brown and feels crispy when tapped
Tip: Cool slightly in the tin so the noodles hold their shape before turning out
5
Whip cream to stiff peaks
- In a medium mixing bowl, whip the cold heavy cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3–4 minutes.
- Transfer to a separate bowl and refrigerate until ready to fold into the labneh filling.
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Ready when: Cream holds stiff, glossy peaks when the whisk is lifted
Tip: Use a very cold bowl; whip just until stiff to avoid over-churning into butter
6
Blend labneh base
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the room-temperature labneh with the honey, vanilla extract, and rose water (if using) until smooth and creamy, about 1–2 minutes.
- The mixture should be light and free of lumps.
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Ready when: Labneh is smooth and creamy with no visible lumps
Tip: Let labneh sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before blending for easier mixing
7
Fold cream into labneh
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the labneh mixture in two additions, using a rubber spatula and folding from the bottom of the bowl up and over in slow, deliberate strokes.
- Do not stir or overmix; the mousse should remain light and airy with white streaks visible.
- Once folded, refrigerate until assembly, up to 2 hours.
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Ready when: Mousse is light, fluffy, and homogeneous
Tip: Fold gently; the goal is to preserve the whipped cream's airy texture
8
Assemble cups just before serving
- Shortly before serving, gently warm the honey for drizzling (do not heat above 130°F / 54°C or it will lose delicate floral notes).
- Using a spoon or small ice cream scoop, fill each cooled kataifi cup with about 2 tablespoons of the whipped labneh mousse, mounding it slightly.
- Drizzle 1 teaspoon of warm honey over each cup, then top with a small scatter of toasted sliced almonds and 2–3 pomegranate arils if desired.
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Ready when: Cups are filled, drizzled, and garnished
Tip: Fill cups no more than 30 minutes before serving so kataifi stays crispy

Good to know

Tips

Kataifi noodles can be found in the frozen phyllo section of most grocery stores or at Middle Eastern and specialty markets. They thaw quickly at room temperature and are far easier to work with than regular phyllo sheets.
The success of crispy cups depends on warm clarified butter coating the noodles evenly. If the butter cools during assembly, gently rewarm it over low heat.
Rose water is optional but highly recommended; it adds an elegant floral note authentic to knafeh. Use sparingly—a little goes far, and too much tastes soapy.
Assemble the final cups as close to serving time as possible. The contrast between the warm honey, creamy cool mousse, and crispy kataifi is the dish's signature appeal.

Make ahead

Bake the kataifi cups and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 8 hours. Prepare the whipped labneh mousse (without the almonds and pomegranate) and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Toast the almonds and warm the honey just before assembly. Fill and assemble the cups no more than 30 minutes before serving to preserve crispness.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature (kataifi cups only): Store in an airtight container for up to 8 hours. Refrigerator (mousse): Cover and store for up to 24 hours; bring to room temperature for 5 minutes before serving. Freezer (unbaked kataifi cups): Freeze in the muffin tin up to 1 month; bake from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes to bake time. Do not freeze the assembled cups.

Substitutions

rose water → Omit rose water and add 0.5 teaspoon of ground cardamom or 0.25 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. If rose water is unavailable or you prefer warm spice notes, cardamom or cinnamon adds a complementary depth
pomegranate arils (seeds) → Use fresh raspberries, tart cherries, or a light dusting of freeze-dried berries. Pomegranate arils add color and tartness; berries provide similar brightness, especially raspberries
labneh (strained yogurt cheese), cold → Greek yogurt blended with a small amount of mascarpone (3:1 ratio) or full-fat ricotta. Labneh is essential for authentic flavor, but Greek yogurt or ricotta approximates its mild tang and thick texture
sliced almonds → Toasted chopped pistachios, walnuts, or hazelnuts. Any toasted nut works; pistachios and walnuts are especially traditional in Middle Eastern desserts