No matter how different the cuisines in different countries might be, the love for desserts binds it all together. Be it the tiramisu from Italy, churros from Spain, apple pie from USA or the good old halwas and barfis and gulab jamun from India, dessert lovers can relish it all. Baklava from the Middle East is one such decadent treat that is simply irresistible. A layered pastry, enclosing crushed dry fruits and loads of butter, Baklava is made by baking in the oven sweetened with sugar syrup or honey. No wonder it is a staple in Turkey and neighboring regions. Many bakeries in India too sells it and is a hit during Eid.
The Turkish dessert has so many fans across the world, especially in India that a recent video showing how the sweetmeat is made, went viral. Recently, food blogger Amar Sirohi (@foodieincarnate) posted a short clip of how the famous Baklava is actually made. The video has gone viral on YouTube in just a few days from when it was posted on November 27. Take a look:
The 34 second clip, the blogger explains the tedious behind-the-scenes processes of Baklava wherein he shows how maida is rolled repeatedly very finely so about 70 or more layers can be formed from it. This lends the crispy, flaky layers to Baklava. The layers are then lined in a baking tin, stuffed with dry fruits and nuts such as pista, then the layers are put together one upon another, smeared with ghee or butter, cut into pieces and baked to perfection. Drizzled with sugar syrup right before baking, baklava boasts of a hint of sweetness, crunch of nuts and a unique aromatic essence. The video was from a bakery called Sultan Baklava in Delhi.
The making of Baklava in the video has garnered over 3 million views and counting with about 161k likes. No wonder it was one of the top trending videos on YouTube India. This says something about the fan following of the Turkish dessert in the country, isn’t it?
Did you know that Baklava can be traced back to the 8th century B.C.E. during the Assyrian Empire? Modern baklava may have been invented in Turkey during the Ottoman Empire, and then further modified in Greece, its exact origins can’t be pinpointed to one particular country till date. While we may never know the exact history, what we do know is how popular the dessert is across the world today, thanks to the viral video.
If the video has got you craving Baklava too, worry not. We have a perfect recipe for you to make Baklava at home easily. Made using readymade phyllo sheets, making the Turkish dessert is all the easier now. Click here for the full recipe.
Try Baklava at home and share your experience with us.