Layered Knafa with Cheese Siniyyat Knafa bil-Jibin

A bland variety of white unsalted cheese is used in the Arab countries for making this type of knafa. It is called jibna hilwa (sweet cheese) and is available in Middle Eastern stores. When baked, it becomes pleasantly chewy and elastic in texture, somewhat similar to mozzarella cheese, which can conveniently replace it when authentic jibna hilwa is hard to come by.