The Christmas bells have already started ringing and just a few more days to the grand festival. Celebrated with prayers, carols, exchange of gifts and an indulgent feast, this holiday festival brings joy to our life. Desserts are the heart of this festive season, and the bakeries and eateries are already crowded with people.
Cakes, puddings, cookies, muffins, pies and tarts are some of the most famous sweet treats of the holidays. But have you ever tried baklava? Made of a layer of filo dough, loaded with chopped nuts and soaked in honey, syrup or milk, it is a sweet dessert pastry that is staple in the Middle East. Baklava is a traditional sweet in the countries like Turkey and Greece. This treat is said to have originated in 8th century and the first baklava is believed to have religious roots with Jesus Christ. It is also eaten during Ramadan and Eid ul-Fitr.
Tis baked treat has a crispy texture with a delightful, sweet taste. This dessert has got plenty of variations that include different spices, soakes, shapes and sizes. If you are also looking to relish some delectable baklava this festive season, here are a few variations you can try:
This is the most popular variety of baklava and is also said to be the original one. Said to have originated in Turkey and Syria, this sweet pastry is rich in taste and texture, and it is made with a filling of pistachios. The crunchy nuts and crispy pastry of this baklava has made it an irresistible treat since the medieval period. They are cut in square or diamond shape before serving and have a mild earthy undertone.
After pistachios baklava, this is another variation that is popular in many parts of the world. As pistachios grow only in very few countries, walnuts are available everywhere. To prepare this recipe, walnuts are crushed and then dusted between the layers of this sweet treat. They have a unique flavor which combines both an earthy and tangy taste. It is perfect for people looking for mild and gentle desserts.
Commonly known as kuru baklava, this is another delightful variation of this treat. Their shelf life is longer than the other baklavas and they are lighter in taste and texture. They can also be carried as a snack while travelling and you can also give it to your loved ones as a gift during festive occasions. Made with a blend of nuts, mainly pistachios, they can be stored for up to a month.
If you are fond of eating chocolates, then this unique variation is perfect for you. Chocolate baklava has recently got recognition in the dessert market, and you will find numerous variations within itself. Some of these chocolate-y treats stick to using a blend of hazelnuts and chocolate-hazelnut spread while others use bittersweet chocolate mixed with walnut, almond, hazelnut or pistachio filling. It is also topped with a drizzle of chocolate to enhance the sweet and crunchy flavor of baklava.
This is also known as carrot slice baklava that is traditionally made with about 30 layers of phyllo dough and a generous amount of pistachio filling. As the name explains, it is prepared in a large tray and then cut into carrot shapes. The traditional filling of Havuç Dilim baklava contains walnut or pistachio and is very popular in Turkey. It is often served with dondurma, a type of Turkish ice cream. Carrot baklava is available in both usual and dry forms, and they tend to have more buttery flavors than the other ones.
Also known as cream baklava, shaabiyat or warbat, this Turkish delight is made with cream. The term Şöbiyet in Arabic means to eat, to be full and you will understand it clearly after having this treat. It is prepared with walnuts, phyllo dough, and a syrup coating along with a rich layer of cream particularly kaymak. Kaymak is a traditional cream that is made by combining semolina and milk and it has a subtle sweetness and earthy flavor.
This is a milky type of baklava that belongs to Turkey. Sütlü Nuriye is prepared with crushed hazelnuts and unlike the traditional baklavas that are coated entirely with a sugar coating, these treats use a mix of milk with a little bit of sugar for sweetness. The yummy concoction is poured over the baked pastry. This process and the ingredients give it a lighter color as compared to traditional Turkish baklava. It is believed that Sütlü Nuriye was created in the 1980s by bakers to meet the shortage of pistachios.
The word Bülbül Yuvası means nightingale’s nest and it is a disk-shaped baklava. They are very popular in Turkey, Middle East and Europe. It is prepared with paper-thin sheets of dough and resembles a nest-like shape. Unlike other varieties of baklava that stack filo sheets on top of one other, these filo sheets are wrapped around a thin rolling pin which forms a cylindrical shape, and the center is filled with walnuts or pistachios.