The Turkish Baklava is a dessert from the Topkapi Palace and is consumed everywhere in Turkey. There are several brands, but the region with the most Baklava (and where the quality is better) is Gaziantep in southeastern Turkey. There are also Turkish Baklava in the Balkans (Albania, Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Greece …), Georgia, Armenia, Cyprus, the Middle East and the Maghreb. It is thought that it was during the Byzantine period (in the 14th – 15th century) that the Baklava was created but its present, square shape was fixed in the kitchens of Topkapi Palace in Istanbul.
According to the Turks, the Baklava was born in Gaziantep (in the south-east of Turkey). It was declared by the European Union in 2013 as a dessert of Turkish origin, in Gaziantep. This is the first Turkish edible product certified by Europe! We find all kinds in Turkey: pistachio, walnuts, hazelnut, chocolate… It is a long dessert to prepare, consisting of 33 layers of dough. The number 33 has a special meaning: it is the number of years of life of Christ, but also, the number 33 is the number of balls on a Muslim rosary or the number of names that Muslims give to God.
Turkish Baklava is now being exported to the United States and Europe …
The price varies between 150 and 290 TL per kilo according to the mark. In Turkey we do not say to have chocolate bars but to have tablets of Baklava! You can taste the Baklava with a scoop of ice cream.
Do you wonder what to eat in the streets of Istanbul? For more information about Turkish food, do not hesitate to click on this link!