Diary of a Foodie

Güllaç (Turkish Rustic Milk Baklava)

Diary of a Foodie: Season Three: Turkey: Iftar in Istanbul

Serves8 to 10
  • Active time:30 min
  • Start to finish:2 1/2 hr
ADAPTED FROM SEVIM GÖKYILDIZ
March 2009
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  • 5 cups whole milk
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 8 güllaç leaves (sheets)
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts (5 oz)
  • 3 to 5 drops rosewater, or to taste
  • 1/4 cup chopped shelled pistachios (1 oz)
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh pomegranate seeds

  • Equipment:

    a 12-inch round cake pan
  • Heat milk and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until sugar has dissolved and milk is hot but not boiling. Stir in vanilla.
  • Using kitchen shears, trim güllaç leaves to fit just inside cake pan. Remove leaves from pan. Pour about half of milk mixture into cake pan. Gently submerge 1 güllaç leaf into milk to soften slightly, then transfer to a large shallow serving bowl (about 14 inches wide). Repeat with 3 more leaves.
  • Continue softening and layering remaining 4 güllaç leaves, sprinkling walnuts over each layer this time. (Add more warm milk mixture to cake pan as needed.) Pour any remaining milk mixture over leaves in serving dish and sprinkle rosewater over top. Chill until most of milk is absorbed and güllaç is cold, about 2 hours. Serve sprinkled with pistachios and pomegranate seeds.

Photograph by Stephanie Foley

Keywords
diary of a foodie,
sevim gokyildiz,
dessert,
middle eastern,
regional specialty

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Season Three

The third season of Gourmet’s Diary of a Foodie travels the world to serve a feast of culinary trends, exotic ingredients, and food-obsessed personalities. We’ll explore the unspoiled waters around Tasmania, the culinary traditions of Istanbul during Islam’s holiest month, and more.

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