Would anyone deny themselves a tasty piece of cake? We think most of us would have succumbed to this temptation. If you are interested in Mediterranean flavors, we invite you on a journey to the sweet side of Greek cuisine. Greeks love sweet taste. We experienced this while staying at a hotel in Leptokarya. Below we will tell you about the most popular Balkan sweets.
RAHAT LOKUM
Rahat lokum is a confectionery product made of potato flour or wheat starch, sugar and added fruit flavor. The history of its creation dates back to the fifteenth century and so far they are extremely popular sweets in Greece. Its consistency resembles a compact gel. Rahat lokum is most often found in the form of cubes sprinkled with powdered sugar. Despite its popularity in the countries of the Middle East, not every palate can accept such an eccentric taste of this delicacy. Rose water, vanilla, mint are used for expressiveness, but also cherries, oranges and strawberries.
HALVA
Halva is definitely one of the most popular sweets in Greece and other Balkan countries. It has its roots in Iran. But what exactly is halva? It is a combination of all kinds of seeds, e.g. sesame (the most popular in Greece), poppy, nuts, sunflower seeds and caramel, which gives it a crumbly or semi-liquid consistency. Surprisingly, sesame halva is not treated as a sweetness in Greece. It is more popular here as a snack to traditional retsina wine. This type of halva cannot be found on the shelf with sweets, but rather next to cheeses and olives.
GLIKA TOU KOUTALIOU
“Glika tou koutaliou" or actually “a spoon of sweets" is one of the main desserts that can be found on Greek tables. They are fruit in sweet syrup served with a spoon in a small porcelain or crystal dish. The most popular are oranges, grapes and cherries, which we had the opportunity to try. We warn you against the exceptionally clear sweet taste for which the Greeks are famous. However, do not be discouraged by the dessert and give it a chance, because it can be eaten with yoghurt, coffee or tea, which promises incredibly delicious adventures for the palate!
BAKLAVA
If you are wondering what to try with your afternoon coffee and you are interested in Greek delicacies: try baklava! Its production consists of placing nuts, sugar and honey between the layers of Greek filo pastry. After baking, they are cut into various shapes as desired, and then poured with syrup. One version of the story of the origin of Baklava mentions that it was prepared by the Assyrians in the 7th century. The process of preparing an ancient dessert consisted of arranging the dough in layers with chopped nuts. Then it was soaked in honey and finally baked in wood-fired ovens.
KADAIFI
Kadaifi, also known as “angel hair", is a sweet and crispy snack popular in Greece, Turkey and the Balkan countries. They look like pasta because they are made of thin threads of filo pastry, with a filling made of almonds, walnuts, cow’s butter and often also cinnamon.
