OTHER INGREDIENTS —

2 pears

Butter

10 grams sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

300 grams sugar

200 grams water

10 grams lemon juice

5 drops orange blossom water

For the garnish: 

Pistachio powder

Fresh pear slices

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Prepare the pastry: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, then arrange two 20-centimeter cake rings on it. Divide the kunafa dough into two equal parts. Pour half of the melted butter over one portion of the dough. Using your hands, mix well, making sure the dough is thoroughly coated in butter, then spread it into one of the cake rings. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and melted butter. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the pastry is golden, about 25 minutes.

While the dough bakes, prepare the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water to dissolve. Pour the cream into a medium saucepan, then place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then immediately add the cornstarch mixture and cook until it sets completely, about 1 minute. Add orange blossom water and mix well.

Transfer the filling to a heatproof container, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to cool completely. Once cooled, transfer the filling to a medium bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat the filling until soft, then transfer it to a piping bag and set aside.

To prepare the sautéed pears, dice the pears, discarding the cores. In a large pan, sauté the pears in butter over medium heat until transparent. Add the sugar and lemon juice and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.

To prepare the syrup, in a medium pot, combine the sugar and water. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, then remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and orange blossom water to combine, then set aside to cool.

To assemble the osmaliya, transfer one of the baked pastry rounds to a serving plate, then pipe the filling over the pastry. Top with the sautéed pears, then the second baked pastry round. Pour the syrup all over the osmaliya, letting it soak into the pastry. Garnish with the fresh pear slices and pistachio powder and serve.