{"id":1254,"date":"2020-12-27T16:44:20","date_gmt":"2020-12-27T15:44:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antepbaklava.de\/the-history-of-baklava\/"},"modified":"2026-10-15T16:44:07","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T14:44:07","slug":"the-history-of-baklava","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/staging.antepbaklava.de\/en\/the-history-of-baklava\/","title":{"rendered":"A short history of baklava"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;6&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; back_color=&#8221;color-abkivo&#8221; column_width_use_pixel=&#8221;yes&#8221; column_width_pixel=&#8221;860&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;791146&#8243;][vc_column column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; position_vertical=&#8221;middle&#8221; align_horizontal=&#8221;align_center&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;400013&#8243;][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h6&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h6&#8243; text_font=&#8221;font-abksan&#8221; text_weight=&#8221;600&#8243; text_transform=&#8221;uppercase&#8221; text_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; text_color=&#8221;color-abkpis&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;270248&#8243;]History[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h1&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h1&#8243; text_weight=&#8221;500&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;211627&#8243;]A short history <em>of baklava.<\/em>[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text text_lead=&#8221;yes&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;653880&#8243;]Who invented it? Many countries claim it. What is certain: baklava was perfected in the kitchens of the Ottoman Empire \u2013 and in Gaziantep it became an art.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;1&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;1&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; back_color=&#8221;color-abkivo&#8221; column_width_use_pixel=&#8221;yes&#8221; column_width_pixel=&#8221;860&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;404796&#8243;][vc_column column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; position_vertical=&#8221;middle&#8221; align_horizontal=&#8221;align_left&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;398941&#8243;][vc_separator sep_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; sep_color=&#8221;color-abkgld&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;879752&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; back_color=&#8221;color-abkivo&#8221; column_width_use_pixel=&#8221;yes&#8221; column_width_pixel=&#8221;760&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;767966&#8243;][vc_column column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; position_vertical=&#8221;middle&#8221; align_horizontal=&#8221;align_left&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;371026&#8243;][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h6&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h6&#8243; text_font=&#8221;font-abksan&#8221; text_weight=&#8221;600&#8243; text_transform=&#8221;uppercase&#8221; text_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; text_color=&#8221;color-abkpis&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;751977&#8243;]Origins[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h2&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h2&#8243; text_weight=&#8221;500&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;105347&#8243;]Many roots, one idea[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;175737&#8243;]Paper-thin layers of dough, nuts and syrup: the idea is old, and many cuisines between Central Asia, Anatolia, Persia and the Mediterranean know similar pastries. A common theory traces baklava back to the Turkic peoples of Central Asia, who stacked thin sheets of dough \u2013 yufka. Others see its ancestors in Byzantine or Persian sweets.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;566983&#8243;]There is no single answer. Perhaps that is the beauty of it: baklava belongs to many \u2013 but every region makes it its own way.[\/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h6&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h6&#8243; text_font=&#8221;font-abksan&#8221; text_weight=&#8221;600&#8243; text_transform=&#8221;uppercase&#8221; text_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; text_color=&#8221;color-abkpis&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;291537&#8243;]Ottoman Empire[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h2&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h2&#8243; text_weight=&#8221;500&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;140628&#8243;]From the palace kitchen[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;862499&#8243;]Baklava was refined in Istanbul\u2019s Topkap\u0131 Palace. The palace bakers stretched the dough ever thinner; records of the palace kitchen from the 15th century are considered early evidence of baklava.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;494143&#8243;]This gave rise to a famous custom, the baklava procession or \u201cBaklava Alay\u0131\u201d: in the middle of Ramadan the sultan had trays of baklava presented to the Janissaries, his soldiers. They were carried in a ceremonial procession from the palace to the barracks.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; back_color=&#8221;color-abkivo&#8221; column_width_use_pixel=&#8221;yes&#8221; column_width_pixel=&#8221;1100&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;645117&#8243;][vc_column column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; position_vertical=&#8221;middle&#8221; align_horizontal=&#8221;align_center&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;882132&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;1058&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;434381&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;146351&#8243;]<small>Classic pistachio baklava \u2013 made by hand, layer by layer.<\/small>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; back_color=&#8221;color-abkivo&#8221; column_width_use_pixel=&#8221;yes&#8221; column_width_pixel=&#8221;760&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;883339&#8243;][vc_column column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; position_vertical=&#8221;middle&#8221; align_horizontal=&#8221;align_left&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;913146&#8243;][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h6&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h6&#8243; text_font=&#8221;font-abksan&#8221; text_weight=&#8221;600&#8243; text_transform=&#8221;uppercase&#8221; text_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; text_color=&#8221;color-abkpis&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;998937&#8243;]Gaziantep[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h2&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h2&#8243; text_weight=&#8221;500&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;116456&#8243;]How one city became the capital of baklava[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;138707&#8243;]What makes Gaziantep special is the combination of ingredient and craft: the pistachios grow on the doorstep, and the art of baking baklava has been passed from master to apprentice for generations. To this day, baklava from Gaziantep is the benchmark all over T\u00fcrkiye. <a href=\"https:\/\/staging.antepbaklava.de\/en\/gaziantep\/\">More about Gaziantep<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h6&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h6&#8243; text_font=&#8221;font-abksan&#8221; text_weight=&#8221;600&#8243; text_transform=&#8221;uppercase&#8221; text_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; text_color=&#8221;color-abkpis&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;251526&#8243;]To Europe[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h2&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h2&#8243; text_weight=&#8221;500&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;452550&#8243;]From Istanbul to Kottbusser Damm[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;458063&#8243;]With the Ottoman Empire, baklava spread across the Balkans to Greece and the Levant. Every region now has its own version \u2013 sometimes with walnuts, sometimes with honey, cinnamon or rosewater.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;838726&#8243;]It came to Germany above all with the people who moved here from T\u00fcrkiye from the 1960s onwards. Berlin has one of the largest Turkish communities outside T\u00fcrkiye \u2013 and baklava has long been part of the city. Since 2009 we have been baking it here too, to our family\u2019s recipe from Gaziantep.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; back_color=&#8221;color-abkivo&#8221; column_width_use_pixel=&#8221;yes&#8221; column_width_pixel=&#8221;760&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;964453&#8243;][vc_column column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; position_vertical=&#8221;middle&#8221; align_horizontal=&#8221;align_left&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;171637&#8243;][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h6&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h6&#8243; text_font=&#8221;font-abksan&#8221; text_weight=&#8221;600&#8243; text_transform=&#8221;uppercase&#8221; text_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; text_color=&#8221;color-abkpis&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;831377&#8243;]Quality[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h2&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h2&#8243; text_weight=&#8221;500&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;436312&#8243;]How to recognise good baklava[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h3&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h4&#8243; text_weight=&#8221;500&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;760255&#8243;]It crackles.[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;993231&#8243;]When you cut it, you hear the layers break \u2013 a soft crackle is the first sign of fresh, good baklava.[\/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h3&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h4&#8243; text_weight=&#8221;500&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;141672&#8243;]The layers are paper-thin.[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;462019&#8243;]The thinner the dough, the finer and lighter the baklava.[\/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h3&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h4&#8243; text_weight=&#8221;500&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;100725&#8243;]The base is crisp.[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;686366&#8243;]It should never be soggy at the bottom. The syrup should soak the layers, not drown them.[\/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h3&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h4&#8243; text_weight=&#8221;500&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;535869&#8243;]It shines without being sticky.[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;419823&#8243;]Good baklava is sweet, but not heavy or sticky.[\/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h3&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h4&#8243; text_weight=&#8221;500&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;431114&#8243;]The pistachio is green.[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;762914&#8243;]A strong green shows fresh, early-harvested pistachios.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;362857&#8243;]<span class=\"abk-todo\">Optional: quote from the master on quality<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h6&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h6&#8243; text_font=&#8221;font-abksan&#8221; text_weight=&#8221;600&#8243; text_transform=&#8221;uppercase&#8221; text_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; text_color=&#8221;color-abkpis&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;828619&#8243;]Enjoying it[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h2&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h2&#8243; text_weight=&#8221;500&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;225364&#8243;]How to eat baklava[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;633077&#8243;]Best at room temperature, with your fingers, one piece at a time. A strong Turkish tea or a Turkish coffee balances the sweetness with its bitterness. In T\u00fcrkiye baklava is also often eaten with a scoop of ice cream or with kaymak, a thick clotted cream.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;4&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;6&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; back_color=&#8221;color-abkivo&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;620638&#8243;][vc_column column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; position_vertical=&#8221;middle&#8221; align_horizontal=&#8221;align_center&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;890480&#8243;][vc_button button_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; button_color=&#8221;color-abkred&#8221; size=&#8221;btn-lg&#8221; border_width=&#8221;0&#8243; link=&#8221;url:%2Fen%2Fbaklava-guide%2F|title:Discover%20our%20varieties|&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;211452&#8243;]Discover our varieties[\/vc_button][vc_button button_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; button_color=&#8221;color-abkwal&#8221; size=&#8221;btn-lg&#8221; border_width=&#8221;0&#8243; link=&#8221;url:%2Fen%2Fshop-2%2F|title:Shop%20now|&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;173033&#8243;]Shop now[\/vc_button][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;6&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; back_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; back_color=&#8221;color-abkivo&#8221; column_width_use_pixel=&#8221;yes&#8221; column_width_pixel=&#8221;860&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;791146&#8243;][vc_column column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; position_vertical=&#8221;middle&#8221; align_horizontal=&#8221;align_center&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":123,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1254","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.antepbaklava.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1254","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.antepbaklava.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.antepbaklava.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.antepbaklava.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/123"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.antepbaklava.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1254"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/staging.antepbaklava.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1254\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3496,"href":"https:\/\/staging.antepbaklava.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1254\/revisions\/3496"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.antepbaklava.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}