Mediterranean sweets and desserts have always been an all-time favourite of many individuals across the globe. They are made out of ingredients like pistachios, dates, almonds, and many more.
Companies like Sea Sweets are known for their mouth-watering Turkish Baklava, which is made out of fresh ingredients and is enjoyed by people of all ages. Apart from Sea Sweets, there are many other sweet shops that are known for their Mediterranean desserts.
One of the most popular is the Turkish Delight from Hafiz Mustafa, a well-known Middle Eastern and Turkish dessert provider that has been operating since 1863.
But in this post, you will learn about some of the most popular Turkish and Middle Eastern desserts that have gained worldwide popularity. These are:
Knafeh
This is a traditional and pillowy middle eastern dessert, which is created with spun pastry known as Kataifi. The spun pastry is soaked in a sugar-based syrup called Attar, and then it gets layered with cheese.
But all knafeh are not created the same. You might have various other ingredients, such as nuts, pistachios, dates and even clotted cream. Knafeh carries a crunchy exterior, and it has gooey and smooth interiors.
The dessert is enjoyed during weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and even religious events. You will also come across the “Vermicelli Knafeh”, which is also enjoyed by many middle eastern nations.
Sahlab
This is a well-known and popular middle eastern dessert. Sahlab, which is also known as “Sweet Milk Pudding”, is a liquid delight that is easy and simple to make.
Besides that, you must serve this dessert hot and ideal for all the cold winter evenings. This thick drink is pretty much enjoyed in Egypt and Turkey, and the ingredients used in this dessert are available at your local store.
Otherwise, you can get all the missing ingredients from the online store without much hassle.
Turkish Delights
Turkish delights are universally popular, and you will certainly find them available at the local or online store. These desserts are available across various nations located in the Mediterranean region.
Due to such reasons, these desserts have transformed into a specialty of the city of Istanbul in Turkey. These desserts were made for the first time back in 1776 by a confectioner in the Ottoman Empire.
They are pleasant to chew and are also soft and fluffy. Turkish delights contain many types of ingredients, such as sugar, nuts, fruit pastes and cornstarch. They are primarily consumed in the form of an even toffee by ladies from high society during ancient times.
You can also enjoy this sugary goodness with tea, and it will also complement various desserts
Basbousa
Basbousa is the middle eastern counterpart of muffins or cakes. This is a tempting treat, which is just a cake made from semolina. It consists of a fluffy texture, which is similar to normal cakes, but contains the flavours of the middle east.
Basbousa contains many ingredients, and you will certainly find them available at your local Turkish and Mediterranean sweet shop. Otherwise, you can easily purchase this unique and delicious dessert from the online platform.
Ashure
Ashure is known as a Turkish pudding, which is pretty famous among all the locals and tourists. But this desert carries a historical legacy. Based on Islamic belief, Noah made a pudding after surviving the great flood.
During that time, Noah utilized all the ingredients which are available locally. But in this modern time, there are many ingredients to make Ashure. The pudding is made out of sugar, grains, haricot beans, wheat and chickpeas.
You will also find dried fruits, such as hazelnut, apricots and dried figures used in this pudding. The pudding is primarily made during the 1st month of the Islamic calendar, called “Muharram”.
Individuals are said to make Ashure during the 10th day of the Muharram, and then they distribute the pudding to all their neighbours.
Zerde
This is another well-known Turkish dessert that is commonly enjoyed by people in Turkey. But it’s customary to make Zerde during the birth of a child and weddings to celebrate these occasions.
Zerde is not that difficult to make, and you only need ingredients, such as saffron, rice, corn starch and water, which offer a beautiful and unique aroma. Curcuma is used for providing the yellow colour.
Once the Zerde is properly cooked, the dish is then garnished with fruits and nuts. There are many people who top the dish with pomegranate, pine nuts and even pistachios. All these nuts and fruits offer a unique flavour, and its pretty light and delicious.
Summing Up
Turkish and Middle Eastern desserts and sweets are loved by people across the globe. They contain various types of fresh ingredients, which you normally might not find in traditional or local sweets.
These desserts and sweets offer a unique flavour, and you can enjoy them during tea, festive occasions, family weddings, birthdays and even during anniversaries. Turkish and Middle Eastern sweets are available on the online platform, which you can purchase easily. Otherwise, you can easily get them from a sweet Mediterranean shop.
