What is Baklava?

Baklava is a pastry made from layers of flaky dough, chopped nuts, and honey or syrup. This sweet pastry may be served warm, cold or at room temperature. The word "baklava" first made it into the English language in the 1600s, however, written evidence of a baklava-like pastry has been found dating to the 1300s. This delicious dessert has endured for centuries and it remains popular today. 

Baklava is often connected with Greek culture and cuisine in the U.S. Although the exact origins of this sweet confection are not known, however, it is thought to have originated in central Asia. In fact, baklava may have been developed in Turkey's Topkapı Palace, a site that served as home to the sultans of the Ottoman Empire for over 400 years. 

Today the town of Gaziantep in Turkey is still known for its pistachio baklava. Tourists can choose from several pastry shops selling this specialty along the town's main street. The Ottoman sultans once considered pistachios and honey to be strong aphrodisiacs, perhaps contributing to the dessert's popularity.

The local nut crops led to geographic variations in baklava recipes. The pastry is made with hazelnuts in the Black Sea region. Central Anatolia is known for baklava that includes walnuts, while baklava on the Aegean shores contains almonds. 

Home cooks can use any type of nut, or mixture of nuts, to make their own baklava. The recipe is often deceptively simple, relying on frozen phyllo dough for the flaky pastry layers. Honey adds sweetness to the dessert. Butter, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar round out the list of ingredients. Baklava is prepared in large sheets and cut into smaller portions, much like a layer cake. Servings should be tiny, however, since this pastry is so sweet and rich. 

The pastry layers in fresh baklava should make a crackling sound when you stick your fork into it. It should also smell like butter and honey. Some variations include strongly scented cloves and cardamom. Whatever the occasion or location, baklava is a sweet, rich pastry that has been made for hundreds of years.