Welcome to Food Feuds, where we rate similar dishes from different countries to figure out who does it better!
What is Baklava?
Baklava is a dessert that features phyllo pastry, nuts, and a simple sugar syrup. In the world of desserts, baklava isn’t just a treat; it’s an experience. The delicate crunch, the nutty symphony, and the sweet sugary syrup. Many regions claim this dish as their own and have their personal twists on baklava.
The rivalry between Greek and Turkish food is unparalleled. I created a Food Feuds video, which has become one of the most popular on my channel, Kickin’ it with Sal. Many users informed me that both Turkey and Greece claim to be the original creators of baklava. I have also come to the conclusion that Turkey asserts ownership over many foods, whether they are genuinely the originators or have simply adopted them through colonization of much of the Middle East, claiming the cuisines of other regions simply because they can. Either way, I am a big fan of Turkish cuisine and think it is one of the best out there.
Turkish Baklava Recipe– Ghee is spread on each sheet of phyllo dough to give the perfect crispy thin texture. Pistachios are the elite way to go when it comes to baklava as it brings so much flavor to the dessert. It doesn’t taste too nutty which can be overwhelming in a dish and the fact that the pistachios are even ground up makes it easier to eat.
Taste/Texture: 9.5/10 The ghee spread on each layer was the best move I made in baklava. It really brought a nice crispy texture to each of the layers. In each bite you could feel the thin crisps. The pistachios were grounded so it made for an even lovelier texture. It didn’t feel like I was biting on anything too hard. I found that pistachios were my favorite nut mixture in baklava.
Appearance: 9/10: It was designed nicely and most importantly it was easy to eat because of how small it was, I like how the pistachios were only in the middle so it wasn’t too heavy overall. There was a good equal balance on both layers of phyllo sheets. It helped the pistachios stay in place without falling apart.
Overall: 9.5/10 I like the addition of adding hot syrup to the baklava. I think it helped the baklava absorb all of the syrup.
Average Score: 9.3/10
Greek Baklava Recipe– Out of all the baklavas in the world, I find Greek baklava to be more fragrant. Through the use of cinnamon, clove and walnuts in their filling to the honey, cinnamon and orange peel in their simple syrup, this baklava hits you with a ton of flavor notes. Greek baklava is not shy about adding butter. Much like Turkish baklava, butter is spread between every few layers which creates the delicious texture; however, Greece adds layers of nuts throughout the baklava.
Taste/Texture: 7/10 I found greek baklava to be overwhelmingly fragrant. It was delicious but the clove really stood out to me and I felt like I couldn’t enjoy the other ingredients. I think the addition of so many layers of nuts also contributed to the heaviness of this baklava. The nuts weighed the baklava down and it wasn’t able to hold it’s shape as well as the competitors. I found there were too many spices and flavor notes in this dish as well, such as the additon of orange peel, honey, cinnamon and clove to the sugar syrup. I wasn’t a fan of this combination because it was too fragrant. I felt like I ate a perfume.
Appearance: 8/10: The little clove in the middle of the baklava was a nice touch to the appearance. When it is placed on a plate it looks very intricate and super complex to make so I appreciate those small details. However, because it’s usually quite big I found it harder to eat this syrupy baklava. I would of preferred small bit size pieces.
Overall: 7.5/10 I think the addition of the cooled down syrup contributed to the weighing down of the baklava. The clove was an intense flavor profile that was overwhelming in the whole experience. I think I would of liked this recipe a lot better without the clove in the nut filling and without so much flavoring in the syrup.
Average Score: 7.5/10
Syrian Baklava Recipe– What sets Syrian baklava apart is its regional variations and unique twists. The Syrian baklava spotlights the richness of pistachios, a crop for which Syria is renowned for. This baklava is all about the roughly chopped pistachio nuts. A lot of other recipes call for ground nuts, but I think this is what makes Syrian baklava top tier and stand out. The sweet aroma of the syrup, often infused with subtle floral undertones, adds an extra layer of sophistication.
Taste/Texture: 9.5/10 The ghee is spread on every couple of layers of phyllo dough which contributed to the crispy texture. I found that adding sugar to the pistachios was delicious as well. The texture and taste is nice because it incorporated large chunks of pistachios in the middle. I found the syrup to be a bit heavier because I applied it when it was cooled down. I feel like when the syrup is cooled, the overall texture appears to be thicker and heavier.
Appearance: 8.5/10: I found that adding large chunks of pistachios made the phyllo dough on both ends weaker and the phyllo dough moved a lot more than effectively stay in place. It was very aesthetically pleasing when it was still though.
Overall: 8.5/10: I loved the taste of the whole pistachios and I really enjoyed the touch of sugar in the pistachio mixture. I think it made a slightly difference by appearing to caramelize the nuts.
Average Score: 8.8/10
WINNER WINNER:
Turkish Baklava
Turkish Baklava is the overall winner. I had an enjoyable time eating this crisp pastry. It had a simple design and I think ground pistachios is the way to go in creating a stable piece of baklava. I had a hard time figuring out which one I liked better. All of these versions of baklava offer unique characteristics and I think if I combined some techniques from each of this version, I could create one of the best baklavas out there. Does anyone want to see me create that?
Notes:
My Mom’s Baklava Recipe- This was not rated in the video because I didn’t want to be bias. This is my mom’s recipe that she learned from a Sudanese lady. It was the true winner but I didn’t think to add it in the video because this recipe combines techniques from multiple nations.
Food Feuds Disclaimer‼️‼️⚠️ the real truth on the #baklava episode. Coconut Cinnamon Walnuts Unsalted butter Phyllo dough Sugar syrup Sugar Water Lemon
