Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F), and move the baking rack to the center.
Using half the dough, press it into the bottom of a circular pan. Press firmly so that the dough goes up the sides slightly, and there are not any openings or cracks. This will eventually be the top of the kunafa when you flip it, so make sure it is evenly spread.
Pour the vanilla cream all over the bottom layer.
Carefully place the remainder of the buttered kunafa dough over the cream, making sure all the cream is covered all the way to the edges, without pressing the cream to ooze out. Make sure you gently pat down any of the shreds down so they are not sticking up, or they will scorch in the oven.
Pour the melted butter evenly over the entire pan to soak it in butter.
Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden.
As soon as the kunafa is removed from the oven, pour the cooled syrup all over, evenly. You might not need all of it. After about 20 minutes, flip the kunafa onto a serving platter, leaving the pan over it for a minute. This is important to ensure the syrup goes to the bottom of pastry after flipping, so that is is not dry on the bottom.
Garnish with crushed pistachios