What Is Künefe Cheese? How to Make an Unsalted Cheese Alternative at Home

Your künefe may be beautifully golden, with just the right amount of syrup. But if the cheese stays firm when you lift your fork, something is missing. That is why choosing the cheese deserves as much attention as preparing the pastry and syrup.

At a Turkish cheese shop, ask for künefelik peynir, meaning cheese intended for making künefe. Hatay’s geographically indicated product is registered as Antakya Künefelik Peyniri. Its ability to stretch when heated is one of its defining qualities. Not every unsalted white cheese behaves this way.

Can you make cheese at home? Yes, but it is important to name the result accurately. The recipe below makes an unsalted mozzarella-style cheese that you can try as an alternative in homemade künefe. It does not reproduce traditional Antakya Künefelik Peyniri. Instead of leaving the cheese at room temperature to sour, this method uses a measured amount of citric acid.

If you have never made cheese before, take your time. I have explained what to prepare, what you should see in the saucepan and how to handle each stage.

Is Künefe Cheese Always Made from Goat’s Milk?

No. The statement that authentic künefe cheese must be made exclusively from goat’s milk is inaccurate.

The official registration document for Antakya Künefelik Peyniri explains that sheep’s and goat’s milk were used historically, while the registered product is now made from cow’s milk. It also has salted and unsalted versions. The salted version requires desalting before use in künefe.

For a straightforward homemade künefe, buying unsalted cheese specifically intended for the dessert is the easiest option. If you would also like to learn how to make cheese, the following method offers a different approach.

Before You Begin

Preparation matters when making cheese. Measure your ingredients and arrange your thermometer, sieve and bowls before heating the milk.

For your first attempt, follow the quantities rather than adjusting them. Adding extra milk, estimating the citric acid or using the same spoonful of a stronger rennet can change the result.

It also helps to understand one distinction: rennet and starter culture are different ingredients. In this recipe, rennet forms the curd, while citric acid adjusts the acidity.

Ingredients

• 3.8 litres full-fat pasteurised milk, preferably ordinary refrigerated milk
• 1½ level teaspoons food-grade citric acid, measured with a standard 5 ml measuring teaspoon
• 60 ml drinking water, for dissolving the citric acid
• Enough rennet to set 3.8 litres of milk, calculated from the manufacturer’s instructions
• Non-chlorinated drinking water for diluting the rennet, as directed on its packaging
• Additional drinking water for heating and cooling the cheese

Do not add salt.

These quantities follow The CheeseMaker’s citric-acid mozzarella method. Its recipe specifies ¼ measuring teaspoon of standard-strength liquid rennet. If your rennet has a different strength, follow its stated dosage rather than automatically using that quantity.

Which milk should you buy?

Choose ordinary pasteurised refrigerated milk. Avoid UHT or ultra-pasteurised milk for this method, as intensive heat treatment can interfere with proper curd formation.

Can you replace the citric acid with lemon juice?

Keep the citric acid for this recipe. Substituting an estimated quantity of lemon juice changes the method and makes the acidity less predictable.

Make sure the citric acid you buy is labelled food grade.

Equipment

• A stainless-steel saucepan with a capacity of at least 5–6 litres
• A kitchen thermometer
• Standard measuring spoons
• A long knife
• A slotted spoon
• A large sieve or colander
• Clean food-safe cheesecloth
• A deep bowl to collect the whey
• A second saucepan for hot water
• Two wooden spoons or heat-resistant spatulas
• Two cooling bowls and some ice
• A clean storage container with a lid

Treat the thermometer as essential equipment. Checking the milk with a finger does not give the precision this method needs.

How to Make the Cheese

1. Prepare your work area

Wash your hands. Clean and thoroughly rinse the work surface and equipment. Check that the cheesecloth has no detergent residue or smell.

Set the sieve over the deep bowl and line it with the cloth. Leave enough space beneath it so the drained liquid will not reach the cheese.

Prepare this arrangement now, so it is ready when you need to transfer the curds.

2. Prepare the citric acid and rennet separately

Pour 60 ml drinking water into a small glass. Add the measured citric acid and stir until dissolved.

In a separate container, prepare the rennet according to its packaging. If dilution is required, use the specified quantity of non-chlorinated water.

Keep these mixtures separate. Labelling them “acid” and “rennet” can help you avoid confusion during your first attempt.

3. Add the citric acid to the milk and warm it

Pour the cold milk into the large saucepan. Add the dissolved citric acid and stir gently.

Place over low heat. Position the thermometer’s sensing tip in the milk without letting it touch the base of the saucepan.

When the milk reaches 30–31°C, remove the saucepan from the heat. You are warming it for setting, rather than bringing it to the boil.

4. Add the rennet and leave undisturbed

Add the prepared rennet. Distribute it with a few gentle movements, then remove the spoon and cover the saucepan.

Leave undisturbed for approximately 30–60 minutes. Avoid moving the saucepan or repeatedly stirring the milk.

You are looking for a soft, jelly-like mass that holds together. It will not yet resemble a firm block of cheese.

5. Check and cut the curd

Insert a knife and make a small cut. The curd should separate visibly along the cut. If the milk remains completely liquid, it is not ready to cut.

Once set, lower the knife to the bottom of the saucepan and make parallel cuts approximately 2.5 cm apart. Cut across them in the opposite direction to form squares.

Cutting helps liquid escape from the curd. The yellowish liquid separating from it is called whey.

6. Gently warm the curds

Return the saucepan to low heat. Gently move the curds with the spoon as you bring them to 40–41°C.

Remove from the heat and continue stirring gently for approximately 5 minutes.

Do not use a whisk. You want to move the curds carefully rather than break them into tiny fragments.

7. Drain

Lift the curds into the lined sieve using the slotted spoon. Transferring them gradually gives you more control than tipping the whole saucepan at once.

Let them drain for a few minutes. Then use the cloth to apply gentle pressure and release more liquid.

This method does not require placing a heavy saucepan or stone over the cheese for hours.

Transfer the drained curd to a clean board and cut it into slices approximately 3 mm thick.

8. Prepare the hot water

Heat drinking water in the second saucepan to 77–82°C. Check with the thermometer.

Do not put your bare hands into this water. Use wooden spoons or suitable heat-resistant utensils to handle the cheese.

Make sure the saucepan is stable and your working area is clear before continuing.

9. Soften and gather the cheese

Place the slices in the hot water. As they soften, use the utensils to fold the edges towards the middle and bring them together.

When lifted with a spoon, the warmed cheese should begin stretching under its own weight. Fold it a few times to form a smooth mass.

There is no need to keep pulling and kneading it for a long time.

Stretching tells you about texture; it is not a food-safety test. If the cheese does not stretch, do not leave it on the worktop for hours to sour.

10. Cool

Place the shaped cheese in water at approximately 10°C for 5 minutes, followed by 15 minutes in ice water.

Drain and transfer to a clean container. Heating and shaping in hot water, followed by cooling, are part of this mozzarella-making method.

How to Use It in Künefe

Once chilled, thinly slice the cheese or coarsely grate it if its texture allows. Pat away excess surface moisture with clean kitchen paper.

Arrange the first layer of buttered kadayıf in your pan, then distribute the cheese evenly over it. Leave a small border around the edge to help keep the melted cheese inside.

For your first attempt, make a small künefe. This lets you see how your homemade cheese melts between the pastry layers before preparing a larger batch.

Remember that this cheese may behave differently from a purpose-made künefe cheese. Adjust your expectations accordingly.

How to Store It

Keep the cheese in a clean, covered container in a refrigerator at 4°C or below, and use it promptly. Refrigeration slows changes in fresh cheese but does not stop them completely.

Write the preparation date on the container so you can keep track without relying on memory.

What to Remember on Your First Attempt

• Measure temperatures with a thermometer.
• Calculate the rennet dose from the strength stated on its packaging.
• Measure the citric acid accurately.
• Leave the milk undisturbed while the curd forms.
• Handle the curds gently during draining and shaping.
• Do not leave unsuccessful cheese at room temperature to sour.
• Describe the result as an unsalted mozzarella-style alternative, rather than traditional Antakya künefe cheese.

For your first batch, focus on understanding the process. Watching the milk set, seeing the whey separate and learning how the curd changes in hot water will help you approach the next attempt with more confidence.

Derya Soylu