Visit Middle Eastern Deserts: Best Time & Things to Do?

Okay, so I’ve been on this huge Middle Eastern food kick lately. I started with the main courses, you know, the kabobs and shawarma, but then I thought, “Why not try making the desserts?” I mean, who doesn’t love a good, sweet treat, right?

Getting Started

First, I did some digging. Found a bunch of recipes online, looked at some pictures, you get the idea. I wanted something that seemed doable, not like I was trying out for some fancy baking show. I wanted something classic, but not boring.

The Experiment Begins

First Attempt: Baklava

• I grabbed some phyllo dough, nuts (I used walnuts and pistachios), and a ton of butter. The recipe called for sugar and honey for the syrup, which seemed pretty straightforward.
• Layering the phyllo was… tricky. That stuff is THIN. I ripped a few sheets, but hey, that’s part of learning, right? I kept brushing each layer with melted butter, like the recipe said.
• Then I sprinkled the chopped nuts over a few layers, more butter, more phyllo. It felt like I was building a tiny, delicious skyscraper.
• I baked it until it was golden brown, and while it was baking, I made the syrup. Just boiled sugar, water, and honey until it got a little thick.
• Once out from oven I immediatly pour the hot syrup all over it.

The result? Not bad! A little too sweet, maybe, but the crispy layers and the nutty flavor were definitely there. I felt pretty proud, even though it wasn’t perfect.

Second try: Knafeh

• Find some Knafeh dough, cheese(I used some soft cheese), and a simple syrup.
• Spread the dough, add cheese and baked.
• Once finished baking, take out and pour the syrup on the top.

It tastes pretty good.

Lessons Learned

Making these desserts wasn’t as intimidating as I thought. Sure, there were some messy moments, but that’s just part of the fun. And the best part? Getting to eat the results! I’d say it’s definitely worth giving it a shot if you’re into Middle Eastern food, or just desserts in general. You might surprise yourself!

Next time, I am thinking of trying something with dates, maybe Ma’amoul. Wish me luck!