Best Baklava Treats
Baklava is a Turkish filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and lightly sweetened with honey. India loves sweets, and it is very popular in our country as well. This is a nutritious and yummy sweet treat that you and your loved ones will thoroughly enjoy. It comes in various shapes, and the taste varies based on the nuts used and the way the filo pastry is made. You do not have to make them at home. Just choose from the list of the top baklavas we have provided below.
1. Chocholik Baklava
The flaky filo pastry is made following the Greek and Middle Eastern traditional recipe. It contains actual almonds and pistachios. The baklavas are a perfect sweet treat for any occasion.
They come in a sealed pack that needs to be stored in a cool and dry place, preferably between 10 degrees and 15 degrees centigrade. Once opened, you should consume the sweets within 10 days to enjoy them at their freshest best.
The shelf life of the baklava sweets is 6 months from the manufacturing date, but you will love them so much they will not last that long.
2. Kesar The Happiness Flavour Baklava
This pack of assorted kesar baklavas are made with real nuts and rich in essential oils. Each baklava has a unique taste, is light, crispy and decadent. The box of assorted baklava is great for gifting loved ones too.
Only fresh ingredients are used to make the baklavas. This box of sweets will make any special occasion sweeter.
3. Foodcloud Baklavas
This assorted tray of baklavas contains 25 baklavas – five different varieties. Each of them is made with actual dry fruits and tastes distinctly different.
The filo pastry has no eggs in them and is completely vegetarian. These handmade baklavas contain honey and are crisp and delicious. It is great for gifting on special occasions.
It has about 2 to 3 months of shelf life and should be stored in a cool and dry place.
4. Dadu's Baklava
These baklavas are wholesome and filled with the goodness of almonds, cashews and pistachios. They also contain pure desi ghee, figs and honey and so the sweetness is not too strong.
They are flaky and made with great care. You should, however, consume the baklavas within 30 days from the date of manufacture. These come in a transparent package and look very appetizing.
Buying Guide
Sugar
Baklavas are sweet treats and rich in sugar. Though traditional baklavas were made with just honey, the variants available in the market contain refined sugar. Just 100 g of baklava can have 28 to 35 gms of sugar, which is rather high.
A healthy male should restrict his sugar intake to 58 g per day. On the other hand, this limit is nearly half for a healthy female, that is 25 g per day. This is the same amount recommended for children.
Even if these tasty treats sound healthy because they are loaded with vitamin and protein-rich nuts, they are extremely high in sugar, and optimal consumption is advised. If you have diabetes, then limit it to an occasional indulgence only.
Calories
Baklavas are filo pastries loaded with nuts. The ingredients primarily used are refined flour, nuts and sugar, all of which are very high in calories. Just 100 g of baklavas have 425 to 500 kcal.
The other disadvantage is that these are addictive and tasty. The flaky and crispy texture does not make you feel full easily, so you will be prone to overeating them.
If you are watching your weight then restricting your baklava indulgence is required.
Artificial Colours
Most of the traditional baklavas are made with actual pistachios and other dry fruits. But at times to make the sweet treats look more indulgent, artificial food dyes may be added. These are very unhealthy for you and your kids.
Many have immediate allergic reactions to some food dyes, and others may experience other health issues over a while. Try and buy the fresh packs that use only natural ingredients.
Synthetic Flavours
Baklava sweet treats sometimes contain synthetic kesar and pistachio flavourings to add to the filo pastry’s aroma. Like synthetic food colour, artificial flavours are also not very good for your health.
Try and avoid the ones that use artificial food flavours.
Gluten
One of the key ingredients in baklava is refined flour as it is used to make the flaky filo pastry that baklava is known for. Wheat is a gluten-rich food.
People with gluten intolerance may develop allergic reactions when they consume these sweets. If you or your near and dear ones suffer from gluten intolerance, then buy alternatives where refined flour is not used.
Allergens
A key ingredient of baklava is dry fruits, especially tree nuts. The most used ones are pistachios, almonds and cashews. Tree nuts are among common allergens, and those with allergies to nuts can have severe reactions after consuming food containing nuts.
Preservatives
Baklavas are usually handmade and perishable. To extend the shelf life of these sweet treats, synthetic preservatives are added.
Freshly made baklavas stay fresh in a cool and dry environment for about a day or two, at the most for fifteen days without any additional preservatives.
But commercially available baklavas usually contain synthetic preservatives to increase the shelf life to 2 or 3 months. Synthetic food ingredients are not healthy, and it is best not to consume food containing these persistently.
