Bartin White Baklava Product Description and Distinctive Features: Bartın White Baklava is a traditional dessert crafted with a walnut and starch filling. The process involves completing the preparation, slicing the pastry into uniform rectangular pieces, and leaving it to dry overnight. The next day, it is baked slowly for 2 to 3 hours after drizzling melted butter over the top, which helps maintain its signature pale color by preventing browning. Around 100 years ago, it was common in Bartın for each household to have a small garden oven used for baking bread, where this special dessert—Bartın White Baklava—was also prepared. Today, as both a cultural symbol and an economic asset of the region, its production continues using the same traditional methods, sustaining the connection between Bartın’s heritage and its culinary reputation. Production Method: Ingredients: For the dough: - 1 kg wheat flour - 3 eggs - 200 ml (1 cup) milk - 50 g yogurt (optional) - 200 ml (1 cup) water - 50 g (1/2 cup) vegetable oil - 500 g butter - 200 g starch For the filling: - 600 g chopped walnuts - 200 g starch For the syrup: - 800 g (4 cups) sugar - 800 ml (4 cups) water - 1–2 drops of lemon juice Preparing the dough: To begin, flour, eggs, milk, and vegetable oil are mixed together to form a dough with a consistency resembling the earlobe. If desired, yogurt can also be included in the mix. After letting the dough rest for 10 minutes, it is divided into mandarin-sized portions. Each portion is rolled out using starch until it reaches the thinness of baklava sheets—so thin that you could read through it. Preparing the Filling: Combine 600 g of roughly crushed walnuts with 200 g of starch and mix thoroughly. In a greased baking tray, place the first three sheets of phyllo on top of each other without adding any filling. Meanwhile, place the rest of the rolled-out phyllo sheets on a clean cloth to allow them to air-dry slightly. Starting with the fourth sheet, spread the walnut-starch mixture between each layer. Continue this layering process until ten sheets remain. These final sheets are layered on top, again without filling between them. Once assembled, the pastry is cut into evenly sized rectangles and left to dry overnight. The next day, pour 500 g of melted butter evenly over the top, allowing it to seep between the layers. Bake the baklava in a preheated oven at 150°C – 175°C for about 2 to 3 hours, taking care to prevent browning on the surface. Preparing the Syrup: In a deep saucepan, combine 800 g (4 cups) of granulated sugar with 800 ml (4 cups) of water. Stir the mixture constantly over heat for about 30 minutes, ensuring the sugar fully dissolves. Add 1–2 drops of lemon juice and let it boil for another 5 minutes. Then, turn off the heat and allow the syrup to cool completely. The result should be a thick, glossy syrup. Once the baklava has been removed from the oven and slightly cooled, pour the cooled syrup over the top, making sure it is fully absorbed. Let the dessert cool down completely before serving.