Turkish Baklava

Australia, even though a secluded continent from Asia, is as diverse as ever when it comes to its people and cultures. Just around Fairfield in Sydney, you’ll find a lot of folks from different regions of the world. Some of them have put up shop in the town’s arcade.

It was a breezy early afternoon when my family dropped by the Fairfield Arcade to do some errands. And along the way, we checked out this little Middle Eastern bakery (which I was later informed it was Turkish). What caught my interest was the baklava, an “ancient” Turkish dessert. I’ve seen it on the Travel Channel before and by the looks of it, it seemed scrumptious. So I convinced my sister to buy me some of those and we got a set of baklavas which were four pieces and had different shapes.

Typically, baklava is made of filo: a kind of super thin pastry dough usually moulded together in layers. So it’s got that crisp and light texture once baked. In between layers are special baklava fillings of honey, nuts, raisins and even dates.

Having a taste of the baklava truly overwhelmed my taste for sweetness. On the outside, this Middle Eastern pastry looked pretty ordinary. I mean, there’s no powdered sugar, no sugary glaze on top, no candy toppings… There’s no hint that it’s a really sweet dessert. But I tell you, this thing should be paired with the strongest coffee you’ve got! Say goodbye to your Krispy Kremes!

MDR

 

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