Baklava recipes differ in different national cuisines. However, all existing options share several classic principles of its preparation: thin layers of dough, sweet nut filling, butter and honey filling. There is also debate about the country where baklava first appeared. If in your understanding baklava is classic recipe has something in common with Turkish cuisine, then prepare a rich yeast or yeast-free dough for it and add spices to the nut filling; if Greek cuisine is closer, then prepare or take puff pastry, preferably phyllo.

• Total cooking time – 1 hour 20 minutes
• Active cooking time – 1 hour 0 minutes
• Cost – high cost
• Calorie content per 100 g – 388 kcal
• Number of servings – 8 servings

How to cook baklava according to the classic recipe

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour – 500 g 3.5-4 cups
• Sour cream – 200 g
• Butter – 200 g
• Chicken egg – 2 pcs.
• 1 - for dough, 1 - for gloss Baking powder
• – 1 tsp.
• Nuts – 2.5 tbsp. (200 ml)
• Sugar – 1.5 tbsp. (200 ml) for filling
• Spices - to taste
• Butter – 100 g for the first filling
• Sugar – 1 tbsp. (200 ml) for the second filling
• Water – 150 ml

Honey – 50 g

Preparation: To prepare the dough for baklava according to the classic recipe, soften butter

: at room temperature or 30 seconds in the microwave at low power (300-450). Add a small egg or just the egg yolk, sour cream and mix.

Combine the resulting mass with flour, into which baking powder is mixed if desired. The amount of flour may vary due to differences in its properties between different manufacturers, and also depends on the resulting softness of the softened butter.

If you don’t like the light dough in the finished baklava, then you can make it brownish by adding sugar syrup to it, but in this case the baklava will be even sweeter (even more sugary!) and the calorie content will be even higher.

By hand or using a household appliance, quickly knead the soft, flaky dough and place it in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling. Nuts for the filling can be almost any kind. For a more budget-friendly, but also very, to expensive nuts - walnuts or hazelnuts - add peanuts, for example, 1:1, 1:2 or to your taste.

Set aside the quarters walnuts(whole almond or hazelnut kernels) in the required quantity (for example, 24 pieces), and chop the remaining nuts.

For the filling, you need to combine nuts, crushed by rolling with a rolling pin, in a meat grinder or using a blender, with finely ground sugar and ground spices to taste (vanilla, cardamom, cinnamon).

The chilled dough needs to be divided into several parts - their number will depend on how tall you want the finished dessert and taking into account the size of your mold. For example, for my 20x30 rectangular pan, I divided the dough into only 4 pieces. The baklava will turn out to be low, but this is exactly what my household prefers.

Roll each part of the dough into a layer to fit the mold - very thin.

You will need three portions of the filling, so immediately divide it into 3 equal parts. Place a layer of dough in a greased pan and spread the nut-sugar filling evenly. Repeat twice more, ending with a layer of dough. The result should be the following layers: dough\nuts\dough\nuts\dough\nuts\dough.

The top layer of dough needs to be marked out into future portions. To do this, first cut several parallel lines without cutting the very bottom layer of dough! Then make cuts to create diamond shapes. You cannot cut the bottom layer of dough, otherwise all the filling will flow out to the bottom of the mold, the bottom dough will burn and then become excessively soggy, and the top layers will not be soaked as needed.

Lubricate the surface with yolk mixed with 1 tbsp. cold water - for gloss. Stick a nut into the middle of each diamond.

Place the mold with the baklava preparation in a preheated oven (200 degrees). After fifteen minutes, take it out and renew the cuts with a knife, also without cutting them to the bottom layer of dough. Don't forget to run the knife along the sides of the mold.

Make the first fill - oil. Brush the surface evenly with melted butter.
Return the pan with the preparation back to the oven for another 30-45 minutes - the time depends on the properties of the oven and the height of the baklava.

While the baklava is baking, cook the sweet syrup for the second filling: bring to a boil and briefly cook water with sugar (white or brown) over medium heat until slightly thickened and remove from heat. Ideally, more saffron is added to the sweet filling...
When the syrup has cooled, mix it with a portion of honey.

Fully baked baklava needs to be poured with a second filling - honey. To do this, renew the cuts on the three layers of dough. First, pour two teaspoons of syrup onto each diamond, and then pour the syrup into the cuts in a thin stream.

After it has cooled completely, cut the baklava according to the classic recipe to the end, i.e. cutting through to the bottom layer of dough. Place the diamond portions on a serving dish, preferably lined with parchment paper or foil.

The first version of baklava, or baklava, appeared back in 1453, but even after centuries its recipe has changed little and traditionally consists of flour, eggs, ghee and honey or milk filling. Baklava, whose calorie content is 400-415 kcal, which is 1/5 of the usual daily norm for women, it is a fairly filling product, consisting mainly of fats and simple carbohydrates.

It is unattractive for those who carefully watch their figure, because the aromatic oriental sweet is actually something between a multi-layer cookie and a honey cake. But in order not to deny ourselves small pleasures, we will consider compromise solutions that would satisfy both true gourmands and avid athletes.

Baklava: calorie content and properties of ingredients

Baklava certainly has high nutritional value. But not all of its components have such a detrimental effect on the waist as it seems at first glance. For example:

• Walnuts are rich in fiber (6.8 g/100 g), essential fatty acids (6.1 g/100 g) and potassium iodide, which is responsible for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland, which, in turn, affects the uniform distribution and breakdown of fat cells in the body. They are completely free of cholesterol.
• As paradoxical as it sounds, egg yolks do not provoke weight gain, since they do not contain simple fats that create a stable fat layer. On the contrary, in the course of numerous experiments it has been proven that eating 1-2 egg yolks per day significantly lowers cholesterol levels, and the predominant mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are not produced by the body on its own, are essential nutraceuticals in the nutrition of athletes.
• It would seem, how can it be dietary if it is replete with fast carbohydrates and simple sugars? In fact, the speed of digestibility of honey can only be compared with water, which goes through all stages of splitting in only 20 minutes. So, without causing stagnation and other negative phenomena characteristic of high-calorie foods, it enhances the production of bile, promoting the elimination of toxins. By consuming it in small quantities, you can improve your body tone and allow yourself to give up higher-calorie and much less healthy sugar.

As for other products, their interchangeability is worth mentioning separately. For example, you can make yeast-free dough from oatmeal, flaxseed or corn flour, and replace butter with low-fat dry cottage cheese.

If we talk about radically dietary recipes without flour, butter and sugar, then such baklava, the calorie content of which is ~130 kcal per 100 grams, is used mainly under strict dietary restrictions.

Traditional Turkish recipe

In general, the calorie content does not exceed 140 kcal, and is not very different from ordinary homemade, widely used recipes. But it is still recommended to follow some conventions.

To prepare you will need:

• 300 g of premium wheat flour (2 faceted glasses);
• 8 tbsp. l. milk;
• 200 g melted butter;
• 1 chicken egg white and 2 yolks;
• 2 tbsp. l. compressed yeast;
• one and a half glasses of crushed walnuts or hazelnuts;
• 7 tbsp. l. powdered sugar;
• 3 tbsp. l. honey;
• a pinch of ground cardamom seeds and salt.

Cooking stages

First you need to dissolve the yeast in warm milk and add a little salt. Then add the beaten eggs and flour, adding oil while stirring. Next, you should put the dough in a pan and wrap it with a warm blanket or place it in a basin with preheated water, but not higher than +30 ° C. In winter, you can simply place it closer to the radiators, making sure that the dough does not cool down or overheat.

When it rises, you need to divide it into 45 even parts and roll it into very thin cakes, grease them with butter. Laying the cakes on a baking sheet, place them on top of each other, adding to every second, except the first and last, the prepared filling of ground nuts, sugar, honey and cardamom. Next, carefully cut the resulting stack into oblong cubes and brush with egg yolk.

The average baking time is half an hour, the temperature is 180 °C. At the end, you can pour butter over the baklava.

A delicious oriental dessert is ready!

Today there is a large number of all kinds of sweets that appear on our table every day and delight us with their taste qualities and aroma. However, both previously and now, oriental sweets are especially popular due to their unusual properties and incomparable taste. One of the types of sweets known and loved all over the world is baklava. It appeared in ancient times and won the recognition of not only the common people, but also representatives of the wealthy segment of the population. There are many legends about the place of origin of baklava. Some people believe that this is a national Turkish dish, while others are inclined to think that baklava was invented in Greece. But, regardless of where it was made and by whom it was invented, baklava remains a delicious delicacy and a favorite sweet dessert with a long history.

Composition of baklava

Let's start with what exactly elements are contained in baklava. If we talk about vitamins, then in this sweet you can find vitamins A and C, with which some of its ingredients are saturated. Among minerals, baklava is rich in iron, sodium and calcium. In addition, this delicious sweet contains cholesterol, saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Now let's talk about the ingredients that are used to make baklava. They change depending on its type, but some remain unchanged. This is dough, nuts, sugar syrup, honey or molasses, as well as spicy spices.

Types of baklava

As already mentioned, baklava is popular in different countries, and each of them made its own changes to the process and recipe for its preparation, thanks to which several types of this delicious delicacy appeared, differing not only in composition, but also in the method of preparation. The main types of baklava are Turkish and Azerbaijani, but Athenian, Greek, Assyrian, Uzbek and Turkmen baklava are also known. Depending on the climate and availability of products, the composition of baklava changes. As for nuts, walnuts are considered traditional, but in some countries they have been replaced by pistachios, almonds and peanuts. The dough can also have different composition. Most often it is puff paste, yeast, straight or shortbread dough. Additives in the form of spices also change with the traditions of local residents preparing baklava. However, one thing remains unchanged, baklava should be sweet and tasty, filling and appetizing, and sometimes even quite heavy, which is due to the large number of layers of dough, smeared with a honey-nut mixture.

Benefits of baklava

Due to its popularity and composition, baklava came to the attention of nutritionists and doctors, who examined its properties in detail and identified the areas of influence of baklava on the human body.

It is believed that baklava is an excellent remedy for restoring strength and energy. It is used in Eastern culture as a food that increases and restores male strength, which is why it is in such demand among Eastern men. In addition, baklava is recommended for those suffering from cardiovascular diseases, since its high content of nuts will help restore blood circulation and saturate the body with nutrients. There are opinions that baklava helps treat asthma, tuberculosis, anemia and some heart diseases.

Harm of baklava

Despite the properties of baklava and its positive effect on the human body, we should not forget that it, like almost any sweet, is a very high-calorie product. That is why you need to consume baklava in moderation, avoiding overeating. This sweetness is contraindicated for people prone to obesity and following certain diets. In addition, those who are allergic to any of its components should avoid eating baklava, since nuts and honey, which are the main components of baklava, are among the strongest allergens that can lead to attacks of suffocation or an allergic reaction in the form of redness and rash on the skin.

Secrets of making baklava

Knowing the composition and quantity of ingredients included in it does not guarantee that you will be able to prepare baklava in the form in which it is presented in Turkish culture. Some secrets of making baklava will help you get as close to the desired product as possible; if you adhere to them, you will make a real and incredibly tasty oriental sweet.

When preparing the dough for baklava, it is customary to add a small amount of starch to it, which will facilitate rolling and help achieve the desired thickness of the cakes. In addition, starch will give the dough special tenderness and softness.

The dough laid out in layers, greased with nut filling, is cut into diamonds, however, cuts must be made only to the nut layer, otherwise during baking not only the top cakes, but also the bottom ones will rise, which will spoil the appearance of the baklava. After cooking, the finished baklava is poured with syrup and sent to a cool place for several hours so that the cakes can be thoroughly soaked in it.

The thinner the baklava dough is rolled out, the better. In some cultures, special long rolling pins are used for this, which allow the dough to be rolled out so thin that it resembles gauze. This is the main secret of preparing the most tender and delicious baklava.

How to cook baklava

If you want to test your culinary capabilities and prepare baklava yourself, we offer you one of the simplest and most common recipes, which will allow you to bake a real oriental sweet at home. But for this you will have to put in a certain amount of effort and spend a lot of time.

Before preparing the dough, prepare the filling so that it has time to soak well. A nut-honey mixture is used as a filling for baklava. Any nuts can be used for it, but the most relevant is a mixture of walnuts and hazelnuts, or almonds and hazelnuts. Required quantity Grind the nuts until mushy, mix them together and add sugar syrup, ground nutmeg and cardamom. Now set aside the filling and start the dough.

For the dough you will need wheat flour, sugar, eggs, milk, salt and soda, as well as a little vegetable oil. All ingredients are mixed together until a viscous, homogeneous dough is formed, which is left to infuse for a while, then beaten and set aside again to rise. Ready dough It is necessary to divide into equal parts and roll out into very thin cakes. The baking tray is greased vegetable oil, and then the cakes are laid out on it. Each layer is generously smeared with a filling prepared in advance, the thickness of which should be several times greater than the thickness of the cake itself. Another layer of cake is placed on top of the filling and again alternates with the filling. After the last, top layer is laid out, the cakes are cut into diamonds, and a whole nut without a shell is placed in the center of each of them.

Baklava is baked for 30-40 minutes. The finished baklava is poured with honey syrup, which is brewed from flower honey, water, sugar and saffron. Make sure that the syrup gets into the cuts between the pieces. After this, the baklava is put into the oven for a few more minutes, giving it the opportunity to brown well, and then it is cooled, cut into portions and left for several hours, after which the sweetness can be served.

Baklava is one of the most popular oriental desserts. It is this name that we most often hear in the summer season and instinctively, when we are near a lake or ocean, we look for a pleasant plump lady who sells goodies. Baklava always compared favorably with custard tubes with cream and boiled sweet corn, which were certainly kept in the good-natured auntie’s bag. Baklava consists of puff pastry, syrup and nuts - this is a standard set of ingredients that may vary.

Traditionally, the dessert is served for the spring holiday of Nowruz (celebrated by Iranian and Turkic peoples), but the modern popularity of baklava has shifted the emphasis. Today it can be found in any supermarket at a very affordable price.

How did nutty sweetness win universal love and what do you need to know about the oriental dessert?

Historical reference

Historians say that the first mention of sweets dates back to the 15th century. A description of the dessert was found in the records of the times of Sultan Fatih ( Ottoman Sultan). The text testified to the first baklava, which was prepared at the palace in 1453. The Sultan and his entire court loved the sweet so much that they immortalized the recipe and began to prepare it at every opportunity.
There is another alternative version of the origin of the dish. According to her, the dessert was invented on the Asia Minor peninsula in the 8th century BC. e. The first baklava consisted of nuts, sugar paste and thick dough that was more like bread.

Greek sailors and traders who traveled through Asia Minor tasted baklava and decided to bring it to their native lands - to Athens. The Greeks decided to improve the sweetness and created a special dough that complemented the taste of nut butter. The dough is called "phyllo". It was tender, airy and very thin - phyllo can be rolled out to a few millimeters and subjected to various deformations.

Cooking features

Traditional baklava is made by layering layers of dough on top of each other. The sheets are greased with butter/sugar syrup and placed in layers in a rectangular baking container or immediately rolled into a cylinder shape. Chopped walnuts or pistachios are also placed between the layers of dough. It is noteworthy that the nuts are pre-soaked in a sweet sugar solution with a drop of lemon and rose water. This is a classic recipe that varies regionally.

Baklava is considered the ancestor of strudel. The oriental sweet was brought to Hungary in the 16th century by Turkish invaders. The locals decided to improve the recipe and add some flavor to it. National character.

In Greece, dessert is usually prepared from 33 layers. thin dough Philo. Why 33? This is a reference to biblical motifs and the age of Christ. In Bulgaria, Serbia and Macedonia, baklava is prepared exclusively with sugar syrup and walnuts. Deviations from the traditional recipe were not to the taste of the locals, so the classic method remains relevant to this day.

In the Balkans, where the dessert is as popular as potato cake in the former CIS, baklava is prepared only on special occasions. The dessert is a frequent guest on tables during the celebration of the holy month of Ramadan and the holiday of Eid al-Adha. In Armenia they prefer to dilute the traditional recipe with new bright accents. There, cinnamon, cloves and other spices are added to the dough or filling.

Israelis love to use puff pastry sheets for baklava. The nut filling consists of several types at once - pistachio, hazelnut, almond and walnut. Instead of sugar syrup, in Israel they prepare a mixture of:

• sweet butter;
• sugar or honey;
• carnations;
• cinnamon;
• syrup to taste;
• orange and lemon zest.

In Lebanon, baklava also acquired a special national flavor. Extracted puff pastry is filled with nuts, after which it is generously poured with a special sweet syrup. The syrup consists of rose or orange water and sweetener. The finished dish is cut into the shape of diamonds/triangles and served immediately.

Armenian baklava recipe

To prepare the dough we will need:

• flour (you can choose any, based on individual taste preferences) - 700 grams;
• vegetable nut oil - 400 grams;
• sour cream (recommended fat content - 15%) - 400 grams;
• egg yolk - 3 pieces.

Preparing the dough

Prepare a large, deep container for kneading the dough. If you don’t have the necessary equipment in your kitchen arsenal, lay out a clean oilcloth/parchment/foil and cook directly on it. Leave the oil to warm up until room temperature, mix sour cream, 100 grams of flour and 3 egg yolks. Mix the mixture carefully so that no lumps form. As soon as the dough begins to take a clear shape, gradually beat in the remaining flour. It is important that the dough does not stick to your hands and is not excessively dry due to the abundance of flour.

The dough may turn out yellow due to the yolks. To tone down the egg flavor and color, add a few more spoons of sour cream. If the dough is too dry, add a few tablespoons of sour cream or butter. Focus on consistency and appearance dough, but it’s best to refrain from tasting it because of the raw yolks.

The end result should be firm, so place it in the refrigerator for at least an hour and a half. Push the product closer to the wall to achieve maximum temperature exposure.

Wrap the dough in foil, paper or plastic bag so that it does not absorb foreign odors.

Divide the finished dough into 3 equal parts and roll out thinly (thickness - about 5 millimeters). You can pre-shape the dough into diamonds or triangles to bake individual baklava pieces. To save time, you can lay layers of dough/filling/syrup, bake and cut after cooking.

To prepare the filling we will need:

• nuts to taste - 400 grams;
• vanillin - 15 grams;
• egg white - 3 pieces;
• honey or favorite sweetener - 200 grams.

Preparing the filling

Crush the nuts or buy the already crushed mixture at the supermarket. Add all the necessary ingredients to the nut mixture. The filling should be slightly moist, but not dry. If there is not enough moisture, add more egg whites.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and start laying out 6 balls of baklava. The order is quite clear - first the dough, then the filling. After all the layers are laid, beat the yolk and apply it in a thin layer to the baklava using a special spatula. Place the baking sheet in the oven for 40-50 minutes at 180°C. As soon as the dessert is ready, remove it from the oven and let cool for at least 15-20 minutes.

You can cut the baklava only after it has cooled. Wet sheets of dough and filling will simply break under the pressure of a knife and ruin the appearance of the sweet.

Can baklava be considered a “healthy” food product?

Modern trend healthy eating is one of the best movements to emerge in the last few years. Humanity no longer wants to grow old ahead of time, treat obesity, suffer from shortness of breath and pain throughout the muscle corset. One of the components healthy life- balanced diet. What do you need to know about the industrial production of baklava and is it safe to eat the oriental sweet?

Large industrial enterprises are not particularly sophisticated in their dessert compositions. For production, ordinary refined sugar, white wheat flour, thickeners, preservatives are used (otherwise the shelf life would be reduced from several months to 24-48 hours) and flavor enhancers. Why is this combination dangerous?

What's wrong with sugar

Refined sugar is not a valuable food product, but “empty” calories. It does not contain vitamins and minerals, but is full of slow carbohydrates. It has been proven that refined sugar leads to the development of:

• metabolic syndrome;
• diabetes mellitus;
• cancerous tumors;
• liver pathologies;
• diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
• obesity.

Moreover, the abundance of refined sugar provokes growth visceral fat. This fat accumulates on internal organs, interferes with their quality functionality and leads to severe inflammatory processes within the body.

This does not mean that you need to completely give up sugar and foods that contain it. The question is the volume of granulated sugar consumption. Fruits, protein bars, cereals, candies, cereals - all of these products contain sugar in varying concentrations. But in unrefined cereals and fruits, in addition to fructose, there is a whole complex of vitamins and nutrients that regulate metabolism and replace the harmful effects of sugar.

An adult consumes about 22 tablespoons of sugar, while only 3-5 is acceptable.

Sugar is seriously addictive, so a sudden refusal of your favorite chocolate and baklava may well lead to the development of psychosis and an eating disorder. Don't give up your favorite desserts. Allow yourself to eat them at any time, but in a minimal amount, combine with fruits and other healthy foods to minimize harm.

What's wrong with artificial sweeteners

Humanity has long been dependent on sugar, so if the composition does not contain white sand, then it must contain sweeteners. Plant-based sweet products like banana or honey are rarely used on an industrial scale due to their high cost and specific structure. The most popular sweetener is aspartame. It is most often used in carbonated drinks, chewing gum and desserts. Nutritionists have recognized the component as toxic - it contributes to the development of brain tumors, Parkinson's disease, lymphoma and migraines.

Artificial sweeteners also disrupt natural glucose metabolism. The body becomes unaccustomed to processing the substance and simply stops responding to it. This is dangerous due to the failure of the entire gastrointestinal tract and the inability to absorb food. Moreover, sweeteners do not satisfy the psychological need for sweets - too weak stimulation of pleasure centers does not give the desired result. The result is psychological disorders, obesity, a constant need for sweets and condemnation of oneself for weakness of spirit. How to get out of a vicious circle? Very simple - switch to honey, fruits and an abundance of plant foods in your diet. Cravings for sweets will gradually decrease, and a few pieces of your favorite baklava a week will completely satisfy your need for sweets.

What's wrong with white flour

First grade flour undergoes thorough industrial processing. During production, the grain shell is separated and removed. It is in the shell that the maximum volume of vitamins and nutrients is concentrated, which are utilized rather than delivered to humans.

During industrial processing of grain, it loses from 70 to 90% of its useful composition.

An empty carbohydrate product has a high glycemic index. After a few pieces of baklava, a sharp jump in blood sugar occurs, which not only worsens the condition, but also becomes the cause of many diseases.

What else is dangerous about white flour?

• triggers early aging processes;
• adversely affects the functioning of the heart and blood vessels;
• provokes the development of acne;
• makes you constantly feel hungry and unfulfilled;
• causes headaches, digestive disorders, and allergic reactions.

Do you really have to give up baking altogether? No. Empty white flour should be replaced with whole grain, almond, corn, buckwheat, oatmeal and so on. These types of flour are not fully industrially processed and retain their component composition.

What's wrong with industrial processing

Industrial baklava is sold in plastic packages that can be stored for several months. Such packages also contain trans fats, plenty of salt, sugar, gluten, preservatives and flavor enhancers.

Why are they dangerous:

• heart disease;
• obesity;
• diabetes mellitus;
• internal inflammation;
• acne/allergic rash;
• pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract;
• In case of regular abuse, death is possible.

The most dangerous components include artificial colors E102/110/124/133, preservatives to increase shelf life E211, color stabilizer E220, flavor fixer E320, flavor enhancer E621. Avoid them in sugary industrial products and choose the healthiest alternatives possible.

Should I give up baklava completely?

No, the main thing is to approach the issue rationally. It is permissible to add 10-20% of “harmful foods” to your daily caloric intake. It could be baklava, a piece of your favorite cake, ice cream or fried potatoes. Exactly 10-20% of the diet will help satisfy psychological cravings and not overload the digestive tract.

80% healthy natural foods (meat, whole grain pasta, vegetables, fruits, grains, seafood) will help smooth the balance and minimize the harm of sugar, trans fats and preservatives. Approach your own nutrition from a scientific point of view and be healthy!

Everyone knows Turkish baklava - a famous oriental dish made from puff pastry. Why Turkish? It is customary to consider this country as the birthplace of aromatic sweet food with a nut layer, which has an incomparable taste. It’s no wonder that sultans and kings loved this pastry so much.

There are legends about how the recipe for this dish was born. Thus, one of them interprets the birth of baklava, which is now called Turkish. They say that the cook got so carried away while rolling out the dough that he made dough through which one could read a book. And, to this day, using the same fillings and syrups as before, these baked goods are prepared according to the recipe.

It must be said that from Turkey this dish very quickly spread to other countries. There his recipe, naturally, changed somewhat, adapting to local tastes and traditions. Residents of Greece, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Crimea learned to cook and fell in love with baklava.

So, there are different recipes for making sweets. They also bake it in different shapes. But the changes are not that significant. And no matter what they call it: Turkish, puff pastry, Armenian, honey or Baku, it doesn’t matter, because baklava loved by residents of many countries.

As for the differences. They are usually associated with the filling of these sweet pastries. The Baku food recipe allows the use yeast dough. Some Crimean recipes require milk as well as saffron. Sometimes syrup is also replaced with honey.

Baklava. What is the secret of success?

What distinguishes this cake with different names and flavors from other baked goods? The answer is simple, they are all multi-layered. And although preparing the dish is a rather long process, it is worth it.

To prepare the cake, as a rule, puff pastry is used, which is rolled out very thin. Then the layers are coated with oil, sprinkled with grated hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios, almonds, laid out layer by layer or rolled into rolls. After baking, the baklava is poured with syrup and spices.

Eastern women pass on their unique recipes for this dish from generation to generation. In their house, each of them has a long mulberry rolling pin, sometimes reaching three meters. Rolling out the dough with a rolling pin like this requires some skill. It is not surprising that sometimes the preparation of baklava attracts a lot of spectators. It all looks very spectacular.

Of course, this dish is high in calories. Many people are confused by this fact. However, sometimes it’s worth neglecting calories! Baklava she deserves it!

Being the hallmark of the East, and Turkey in particular, this famous oriental sweet can be found in every confectionery shop.

Records are sometimes achieved in the preparation of this oriental dessert. For example, in 2008, Azerbaijani confectioners prepared a giant Baku baklava especially for the Navruz holiday. True, this was preceded by a whole week of work. A huge amount of ingredients went into making baklava: almost three hundred and fifty kilograms of flour and powdered sugar, about seven thousand eggs, twenty-five kilograms of nuts. The result was a twelve-meter delicacy, which turned out to be three meters wide. And fifteen thousand holiday guests had a chance to try it.

No wonder it's huge baklava was recorded in the book of records of the CIS countries.

Interestingly, this delicacy is prepared not only in Mediterranean countries. Britain, Spain, and the USA also have their own traditions of making baklava. So, the British prefer to cook it with chocolate, and the Americans prefer to cook it with maple sap.