Middle Eastern desserts use fruits, grains, spices, nuts, and dairy, and were historically sweetened with fruit and honey. Baklava is a popular pastry made with phyllo dough, nuts, and honey. Puddings, sweet breads, cookies, and candies are also common.
Middle Eastern desserts often make use of fruits, grains, spices, and nuts that have historically been grown in this part of the world. Cow, sheep, or goat milk, yogurt, and cheese are also often incorporated into these desserts. Although many Middle Eastern desserts are sweetened with sugar today, they have historically been sweetened with fruit and honey, which are still used in many desserts. There are many different desserts found in Middle Eastern nations, including pastries, breads, puddings, and cookies.
One of the most recognizable of Middle Eastern desserts is a pastry dish called baklava. This Turkish dessert is made from phyllo dough and nuts, especially almonds and pistachios, and is soaked in honey, making it very sweet. There are other types of Middle Eastern pastries both in Turkey and other Middle Eastern nations, some of which include dried fruits, other nuts, soft cheeses, and custards.
Puddings and custards are also common types of Middle Eastern desserts. These desserts usually contain a grain, such as rice or pasta, that is cooked or soaked in milk. They can be sweetened with sugar, honey, or syrup flavored with oranges, roses, or other fragrant foods. Nuts, dried fruits, and spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg, are also often used in Middle Eastern puddings and custards. The custards also contain egg, which helps give the dessert a firmer pudding shape.
Middle Eastern desserts can also be in the form of sweet bread products. Donuts are an example of this type of dessert and are common in Israel. The bread dough in a donut is sweetened, usually with sugar, and is fried in oil until cooked through. Pies are also common types of Middle Eastern desserts and often use peanuts, spices, and citrus fruits.
Cookies and candy-based desserts can also be found in Middle Eastern cuisine. Like cakes, cookies often contain almonds, pecans, pistachios, and other nuts. Dried fruits and nuts can be cooked with honey or sugar to make simple candies. Nuts can also be ground into a paste, mixed with honey, and formed into a fudge-like dessert. This type of dessert is called a halva, or a similar sounding word, which comes from the Arabic word for sweet, an appropriate name given the intense sweetness of these types of Middle Eastern desserts.
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