Champagne cake combines rich batter and buttercream icing. Italian cheesecake cookies feature pie filling. Chocolate ganache layer cake is easy for beginners. Classic tiramisu uses mascarpone and ladyfingers. Baklava features phyllo dough with cinnamon-spiked honey
Baklava originates from ancient Greece, possibly from 'gastrin' dessert. Main ingredients are filo dough, walnuts and honey syrup. Traditional version uses walnuts, Turkish version uses pistachios. Central Greece uses almonds, Pelion uses walnuts, northern Greece uses pistachios
Turkish cuisine combines Middle Eastern, Central Asian, Greek and Eastern European influences. Turkish food is rich, savory and influenced global cuisines. Traditional dishes include mezes, fresh vegetables, seasoned meat and sweet pastries
Turkish food is fresh and made from scratch with traditional ingredients. Turkish meze plates typically contain 4-8 different dishes. Most dishes are eaten with bread and Turkish tea
Menemen is scrambled eggs cooked in vegetables served hot. Köfte are ground beef or lamb balls served various ways. Mantı are small dumplings served with yogurt or butter. Kuzu tandır is slow-roasted whole lamb served with rice. Lahmacun is crispy bread topped with meat and salad
Baklava is a Middle Eastern phyllo pastry from Byzantine Empire. Greek immigrants brought baklava to US in late 1800s. Various cultures have similar baklava traditions dating back centuries