Baklava, on the pedestal of Turkish cuisine for centuries, is known as the only dessert which simultaneously appeals to all five senses. So how to pick out the best baklava?
Baklava owes its taste to yellow flour ground from Anatolian wheat, and oily, dark green pistachio called “boz” picked before ripened. The secret of baklava’s durability lies in semolina and milk spread under the mixture between doughs. Another feature of quality baklava is a well prepared and evenly poured syrup. It is common knowledge that if syrup is not poured carefully, it may leave a burning taste at the palate thus making baklava a mediocre pastry. However, no matter how good the baklava is, it starts to lose its taste and odour after the fourth day. A good baklava must smell of butter, pistachio and walnuts and it must be golden yellow. All aside, the real secret behind good baklava is apparent in a saying of baklava masters: You cannot make good baklava from a dough which was not kneaded with love.
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