Middle Eastern Sweets Middle EasternMedium

Pear and Five-Spice Kunafa Crisps

Name: Pear and Five-Spice Kunafa Crisps
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 28 min
Total time: 48 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 8 oz (225 g) shredded phyllo dough, thawed if frozen, hand-shredded into ¼-inch strands or briefly pulsed; 5 tbsp (70 g) unsalted butter, melted; 1½ lb (680 g) firm pears (Bosc or Bartlett), peeled, cored, cut into ½-inch cubes; 1¼ tsp (3 g) five-spice powder; 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar; 1½ tbsp (23 ml) fresh lemon juice; ¾ cup (180 g) fresh ricotta cheese, at room temperature; 2 oz (55 g) cream cheese, at room temperature; 2 tbsp (30 ml) honey; ⅛ tsp (¾ g) kosher salt; 3 tbsp (45 ml) honey, for drizzling; 3 tbsp (30 g) unsalted roasted pistachios, finely chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Shredded phyllo nests filled with spiced-pear compote and creamy cheese, then baked until golden and crisp. A Middle Eastern-Chinese fusion dessert with aromatic five-spice warmth, finished with floral honey drizzle. Each crisp is individual, crunchy on the outside, tender-spiced within.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 28 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 53 min
Makes: 6 kunafa crisps

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Ingredients

6 servings

8 oz (225 g) shredded phyllo dough, thawed if frozen, hand-shredded into ¼-inch strands or briefly pulsed
5 tbsp (70 g) unsalted butter, melted
1½ lb (680 g) firm pears (Bosc or Bartlett), peeled, cored, cut into ½-inch cubes
1¼ tsp (3 g) five-spice powder
3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar
1½ tbsp (23 ml) fresh lemon juice
¾ cup (180 g) fresh ricotta cheese, at room temperature
2 oz (55 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tbsp (30 ml) honey
⅛ tsp (0.8 g) kosher salt
3 tbsp (45 ml) honey, for drizzling
3 tbsp (30 g) unsalted roasted pistachios, finely chopped (optional)

Equipment (8)

Baking sheet (18×13 inches / 46×33 cm)
Parchment paper
Large bowl
Measuring spoons and cups
Spoon or cookie scoop
6 muffin cups or ramekins (3-inch / 7.5 cm diameter, optional, for molding)
Small saucepan
Skimmer or slotted spoon

Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper
If using whole phyllo sheets, shred them by hand or pulse briefly in a food processor into ¼-inch strands
Have all filling ingredients prepped and ready before assembling

1
Cook pear compote
- In a small saucepan, combine cubed pears, five-spice powder, sugar, and lemon juice.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until the pears soften and release their liquid.
- The mixture should be chunky but beginning to break down—not a smooth puree.
- Let cool to room temperature (about 5 minutes).
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Ready when: Pears are tender and some juices have evaporated; mixture is chunky, not mushy
Tip: Don't overcook—pears should retain some texture. Overcooked fruit will make the kunafa soggy.
2
Make cheese filling
- In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Gently fold in cooled pear compote, honey, and salt.
- Stir just until combined—don't overmix or the filling will become dense.
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Ready when: Filling is evenly combined with no streaks of cheese; pear chunks are distributed throughout
Tip: Fold gently—overworking will deflate the ricotta and make the filling heavy.
3
Toss phyllo with butter
- In a large bowl, combine shredded phyllo and melted butter.
- Using your hands or two spoons, toss gently until every strand is evenly coated with butter.
- The mixture should look like golden breadcrumbs.
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Ready when: All phyllo strands are glistening and evenly coated; no dry bits remain
Tip: Don't compress the phyllo while tossing—keep the strands light and separate for crispness.
4
Form kunafa bases
- Divide the buttered phyllo into 6 equal portions (about 1.25 oz / 35 g each).
- Working with one portion at a time, press and tuck the phyllo strands into a 3-inch (7.5 cm) muffin cup or ramekin to form a shallow nest, or mold it freehand on the baking sheet into a 3-inch disc with slightly raised edges.
- Repeat with remaining phyllo.
- Space nests 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
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Ready when: Six distinct nests or discs formed, with raised sides to contain filling
Tip: If using muffin cups, don't press too hard—you want texture, not a dense shell. Phyllo should look ruffly gathered.
5
Bake phyllo shellsOven 375°F / 190°C
- Bake empty phyllo nests at 375°F (190°C) for 8 minutes until light golden and just beginning to crisp.
- Remove from oven and let cool slightly (1 minute) if using molds.
- If using muffin cups, carefully pop out the nests and transfer to the baking sheet.
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Ready when: Phyllo is light golden, crisp to the touch, and holds its shape
Tip: Don't overbake at this stage—you want the nests to finish cooking with the filling so they don't dry out.
6
Fill nests
- Spoon 2–2.5 tablespoons (about 40 g) of the cheese-pear filling into the center of each phyllo nest, leaving a 0.5-inch border of phyllo visible around the rim.
- The filling will settle slightly; don't overfill or it may spill during baking.
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Ready when: Each nest holds an even mound of filling; phyllo borders are visible
Tip: Keep filling back from the edges so the phyllo can crisp up and hold its shape.
7
Finish bakingOven 375°F / 190°C
- Return the filled kunafa crisps to the oven and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 12–15 minutes until the phyllo is deep golden brown and the tops of the crisps are warm.
- The filling will bubble slightly at the edges.
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Ready when: Phyllo is deep golden brown; filling peeks through at the edges and is warm to the touch
Tip: Watch the edges—if they brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the final 5 minutes.
8
Cool and finish
- Remove from oven and let rest on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes.
- While still warm, drizzle each crisp with about 1.5 teaspoons (7.5 ml) of honey, then sprinkle with chopped pistachios if desired.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Ready when: Crisps are cool enough to handle but still warm; honey drizzle has been absorbed slightly
Tip: Drizzle while warm so the honey clings to the phyllo. The honey will set as it cools.

Good to know

Tips

Shredded phyllo (kunafa) is sold frozen in most supermarkets in the pastry section. Thaw completely before use or the strands will clump. Hand-shredding thawed phyllo sheets gives the best texture.
Five-spice powder's star anise can dominate—taste the pear compote as it cooks and adjust the spice level. You want warmth, not licorice flavor overpowering the fruit.
These crisps are best eaten the day they're made while the phyllo is still crispy. The filling stays delicious for 2 days, but phyllo absorbs moisture from the cheese and becomes chewy over time.
For a less sweet version, reduce honey to 1.5 tbsp in the filling and use just a light drizzle on top. The pears and five-spice provide plenty of flavor without heavy sweetness.

Make ahead

The pear compote can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. The cheese filling can be assembled (minus folding in the compote) up to 1 day ahead; fold in the compote shortly before assembly. Bake the phyllo nests 2 hours before filling and serving if preferred.

Storage & reheating

Store cooled crisps in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They will soften slightly but remain edible. Do not refrigerate—cold makes phyllo tough. To reheat, place on a baking sheet and warm at 300°F (150°C) for 5–8 minutes until crisp again. Do not freeze; phyllo becomes brittle and won't reheat well.

Substitutions

fresh ricotta cheese → Greek yogurt or labneh. Use the same amount. Greek yogurt is tangier; labneh is creamier and more traditional in Middle Eastern sweets. Both will firm up slightly when baked.
five-spice powder → ground cinnamon (¾ tsp) + ground clove (¼ tsp) + ground star anise (¼ tsp). Mix together to approximate five-spice flavor if you don't have the blend on hand. Adjust clove to taste—it's potent.
firm pears (Bosc or Bartlett) → apples, quince, or a mix. Granny Smith apples work well and hold their shape. Quince requires a longer cooking time (12–15 minutes). Keep the same total weight.
unsalted roasted pistachios → toasted almonds, walnuts, or sesame seeds. Chop or crush coarsely. Sesame seeds add a savory nutty note; skip if you prefer a pure honey drizzle.