There’s never really a bad time to enjoy a slice of baklava, the quintessential Mediterranean delicacy. Or to send one as a gift to a deserving special someone. Especially when it’s a handmade gourmet pistachio baklava from Layla’s Delicacies.
However, one of our most favorite times to send baklava is on Eid Al Fitr.
Marking the end of Ramadan’s month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting, Eid Al Fitr is a momentous day each year for Muslims around the world.
The celebrations and customs of Eid Al Fitr are as diverse as the people celebrating. However, good food is, of course, always crucial to a proper celebration.
Millions of Muslims have made their home in the United States and other nations where Islam is not culturally predominant. So, a few special dishes come to mind to provide a taste of home. On the sweeter side of these thoughts, many of us turn to baklava.
And when you turn to baklava, turn to Layla’s Delicacies. You’ll be glad you did.
“Love the Tunisian-style baklava from Layla’s! Filled with almond, it is deliciously sweet and fulfilling. I especially love the design and attention to detail, superb” — Gorica, Collingswood, United States
What Ingredients Make the Perfect Baklava?
The history of baklava is as rich as baklava itself. As long ago as around 800 BC, it’s thought that cooks in the Assyrian Empire were making a layered dessert with crushed nuts and honey.
And then various cultures, including the Ancient Greeks, learned to stretch raw dough into very thin sheets.
Today, we know this crispy creation as filo dough. It gives us the foundation for baklava and other sweet and savory Middle Eastern dishes.
As for the baklava that we know and love today, nobody knows exactly where and when it was first made. However, it’s believed to have been a favorite of Turkish royalty during the age of the Ottoman Empire.
With the Empire’s growth, Baklava spread around the world. It’s now considered to be an essential part of the culinary tradition for numerous nations throughout the Middle East, Northern Africa, and beyond.
Any dish belonging to so many different homelands will naturally take on some variety in its preparation. So, what are the key elements that you’ll always find?
Here are the essential themes common to different baklava recipes:
- Multiple layers of filo dough, separated with melted butter and/or oil
- A layer or multiple layers of whole, chopped, or ground nuts — typically pistachios, walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts
- Sweetness added through the pouring, dipping, or soaking of honey, syrup, rosewater, or another sweet glaze
Baklava is oven-baked in pans. Before the baking, cuts are made to create square, rectangle, or triangle-shaped pieces.
The end result is a mix of sweetness and nuttiness gently crunching between crispy filo dough layers.
Typically, baklava is served at room temperature, but it can also be cooled or warmed up prior to plating.
And now, about that layer of nuts — please allow us to make our case for pistachios.
A Layer of Pistachios to Create the Perfect Mix of Sweetness and Nuttiness
Source: Unsplash
Pistachio nuts are the seeds of trees native to Central Asia and the Middle East. That makes the pistachio an authentic and traditional option to pair with a dish such as baklava that is embraced by those same regions.
Pistachios are a super-healthy nut. They’re full of potassium, fiber, minerals, and protein. Amazingly, just one ounce of pistachios contains more potassium than half of a large banana.
Unsalted pistachios have a smooth texture, making them nice to eat whole. They’re also rather tender, making them easy to bite into.
A pistachio’s flavor is often described as “earthy,” and just a bit sweet. Overall, it’s considered to be one of the most flavorful and delicious nuts.
For our baklava at Layla’s Delicacies, the pistachio is our nut of choice. Thanks to their smooth texture and soft crunch, pistachios do well when served whole. So, we utilize large chunks. Then we add on a layer of almonds.
Almonds have a terrific complementary flavor, but a rougher texture. So, they are ground and layered onto the pistachios.
The result is a crunchy nuttiness that perfectly balances the surrounding sweetness. It’s a combo that can’t be beaten.
Baklava for Eid Al Fitr Fast-Breaking Celebrations
Source: Pexels
Ramadan is a period of spiritual discipline. It takes great patience and devotion to practice daily fasting for an entire month. However, each year most of the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims choose to observe Ramadan.
Religious devotion is a serious part of life, and fasting is truly a physical challenge — but that doesn’t mean that Ramadan is ultra-serious and dry. It is, of course, a joyful time of celebration spent with loved ones that share a similar spiritual path.
And then comes Eid Al Fitr, the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast.
Eid is a time for pride, family, hugs, and great food. The great religious duties of Ramadan fasting have been completed for another year, and now it’s time to eat.
Many Muslims in the United States draw much of their cultural and religious heritage from a home country. Perhaps it’s where you were born, or where your parents or grandparents hail from.
Of course, during times of celebration, we want the food of our people. Culinary culture is a spectacular tapestry, different for every race and every family.
But, for many of us, there’s a little square of baklava somewhere on that rich tapestry.
So, whether it’s for a gift, your family, or just yourself, consider a signature baklava gift box from Layla’s Delicacies. Let the breaking of the fast be as sweet as it’s meant to be.
Signature Baklava Gift Box from Layla’s Delicacies
This year, we hope that Ramadan is a time of joy and peace for you and your loved ones. And as you celebrate Eid Al Fitr, we hope that you will consider our Baklava Pistachio gift box. This delicacy is available in an eight-piece or eighteen-piece set.
Our baklava is a faithful crowd-pleaser. We know it’s true when we read reviews like this one:
“If you have or haven’t had baklava you need to try Layla’s Delicacies. As soon as you see the box you quickly know you are in for a treat. If you consider yourself a baklava connoisseur your expectations will not be disappointed. Each piece is fresh, has a unique shape, a different texture and taste. I have had amazing baklava from Greece, Turkey, Egypt, and Lebanon but none compare to Layla’s. Buy a box for yourself and a friend. That friend will be your friend for life!” — Joyce, Summit, United States
Tunisian Sweets Sent Around the World for Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr
Layla’s Delicacies is our means of bringing the sweetness of Tunisian desserts to the United States and the world. When we first arrived in the United States, we couldn’t find treats like baklava, samsa, or kaak warka. They either weren’t available, or they just weren’t quite right.
So, we started making them ourselves. Then we started sharing them with our families and friends. And now we’re able to share them with you, wherever you are.
Layla’s Delicacies is named after our daughter Layla, who has taken on her parents’ love for baking. And for sweets!
You may not be specifically familiar with Tunisian cuisine — it's a blend of Mediterranean cuisine, along with all of the cultures that have influenced Tunisia throughout its history.
So, there are touches of flavor and style from Arab, Spanish, Morrocan, Turkish, Italian, and French cooking.
We think you’ll find our baklava to be both familiar and pleasantly surprising. We prepare them with a great deal of craft. Each bite represents a marriage of the best that various international cuisines have contributed to the world of delicacies.
All of our bakers have decades of experience. We use only the finest ingredients, like natural honey and flower water. Even the nuts that we select are hand-picked.
Our treats are perfect for evenings during Ramadan, or during your Eid Al Fitr breaking of the fast. They make wonderful gifts for anyone that is celebrating during this special part of the year.
That includes corporate gifts for your colleagues. Contact our corporate development team at CorporateSales@LaylasDelicacies.com or explore our corporate gift options.
For other general shipping questions, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
We ship our baklava and all of our delicacies from our Union, New Jersey location to anywhere in the world.
Our products are promised to arrive fresh. In fact, we offer a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee during your entire experience with us.
We’re confident you’ll love our delicacies.
This year, for your Eid Al Fitr gift-giving (or self-indulging) needs, you won’t go wrong with baklava.
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