Whether you are a Baklava baking expert or a newbie, there are a lot of confusions that are surely going to come into your mind. Out of this many confusions, the primary one is whether or not you can refrigerate your baklavas before baking.
Well, I am sure you might have also got this confusion and that’s the reason why you have landed over here. But you need not to worry as today, all your confusion regarding refrigeration of Baklava will get cleared out through this block. So, without wasting much of our time, let’s begin.
Understanding Baklava: A Brief Introduction
Before we begin our discussion, it would be good to have some insights of how Baklava originated and how it is made.
Few centuries back, Baklava originated in the Middle East and the Mediterranean part. This delightful desert contains a variety of chopped nuts. That’s the reason why it’s not only tasty but a healthy delightful dessert too.
Now you might wonder how Baklava is made. Well, it is very easy. All you need to do is make a filo dough that contains multiple layers of various nuts like almonds, pistachios and walnuts. Once it is ready you need to apply some oil or butter onto it and allow it to be put into your microwave oven for baking for some time.
Once they turn golden, take them out and soak them in a syrup made from a mixture of spices, sugar, and honey. That’s it! Dessert enthusiasts and bakers have different opinions regarding the refrigeration of Baklava.
Some are against it, and some are with it.
The Refrigeration Debate: Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Preservation: when baklava is refrigerated, its shelf life automatically increases. This allows you to have fresh Baklava for a long period of time.
- Flavor Infusion: When baklava is chilled, its syrup gets enough time to penetrate deeper into its different layers. This enhances baklavas’ overall taste.
- Make-Ahead Convenience: For people having busy schedules, refrigerating baklave becomes a great option as it allows its ingredients to settle down perfectly and it also takes baking time less.
Cons:
- Texture Concerns: When Bakrava is refrigerated, there is a high chance that its texture will get slightly disturbed. And you might see some changes in its crispiness and flakiness.
- Condensation Risks: We all know that some kind of moisture is built inside the refrigerator, and this moisture build-up can affect the crispiness of Baklava
- Time Factor: A chilled baklava is always going to take some time to come back to room temperature. So, whenever you want to bake a chilled baklava, make sure you do a perfect pre-planning.
At the end of the day, the ultimate decision of whether or not to refrigerate baklava lies in your hands. It depends on your preferences and the baking process. So, choose wisely.
Does Refrigerating Baklava Affect Its Taste?
Just as every coin has two sides, this debit is also going to have two sides, the positive one and the negative one.
Many baking experts tell us that refrigerating Baklava enhances its taste overall. Its sit-up gets enough time to penetrate deeper into the different layers. This also enhances its taste. But at the same time, refrigerating Baklava can alter its texture by affecting its crispiness and flakiness.
So, the ultimate decision lies in your hands. It depends on your ingredients and on your baking process. So, you need to make the decision wisely.
How Long Can You Refrigerate Baklava Before Baking?
The refrigeration duration completely depends on several flexors, out of which few are the ingredients, your preferences and the recipe. But generally, refrigerating Baklava for 1 -2 days is recommended.
This period completely allows its ingredients to settle down perfectly and it will enhance the overall flavor. But you need to take some precautions too. Firstly make sure that you store your Baklava into an airtight container so that your Baklava doesn’t capture or consume the foul odor or smell from other ingredients stored in the refrigerator.
Refrigerating Baklava: Insights from Baking Experts
Now, let’s see what our baking experts have to say regarding the refrigeration of Baklava.
- Flavour Development: When Baklava is refrigerated, its syrup is going to get enough time to penetrate deeper into the different layers. We all know that Baklava does not have a single layer; it has multiple layers. And the deeper the syrup penetrates, the deeper its flavours are going to get enhanced.
- Texture Considerations: When Baklava is refrigerated, the moisture condensation is surely going to affect its crispiness and flakiness. So you might see some changes in its texture and crispiness.
- Make-Ahead Convenience: Now, the people who are having busy schedules, for them, baking experts say that refrigerating Baklava becomes really very helpful because it saves a lot of time in baking.
- Proper Storage Techniques: Now, in your refrigerator, Baklava is not going to be the only component, there are going to be other food components too that are stored in your refrigerator. So in order that your Baklava doesn’t consume that foul odor or smell, you need to make sure that your Baklava is stored in a perfect airtight container.
- Experimentation Encouraged: Now, see, all Baklavas are not going to get made with the same recipe and the same ingredients. So, it is highly recommended that you choose your refrigeration option based on your ingredients and preferences.
Because the refrigeration time and the results are not going to work. not going to be same for every single recipe. Based on this baking expert’s insights, now your decision making is surely going to become very easy.
Alternatives to Refrigeration: Storing Baklava Without the Fridge
Now, some of you might wonder, can you store your Baklava without a refrigerator? Yes, of course, it is possible. But it depends on your preferences and how you want your Baklava.
Like some baking experts want their Baklava to be enhanced full in flavors. That’s why they would recommend you to put your Baklava in the refrigerator. Some experts on the other side might say that their crispness and flakiness is altered in the refrigeration process.
So, they would recommend that you not refrigerate your Baklava. But let me tell you.
It totally depends on your recipe and on your preferences, that’s it. On the other hand, Baklava only takes 1 -2 days to get refrigerated. When it is refrigerated for 1 -2 days, its ingredients get complete time to settle down completely and enhance your Baklava’s flavor.
A chilled Baklava is always going to take less time to bake compared to a non-chilled one. So now you decide what you want to do. Do you want to refrigerate your Baklava or not?
Avoiding Common Mistakes When Refrigerating Baklava
Now, of course, mistakes are going to happen. But in the case of Baklava, what will happen is it will damage the quality and flavour. But we do not want this, and that’s why we have brought up some key points that you need to consider while you refrigerate your Baklava.
- Proper Storage: Make sure you store your Baklava in a perfect airtight container so that it does not consume any kind of other smells from the other components stored in the refrigerator.
- Cooling Completely: Make sure when your Baklava is chilled, you allow it to come back to room temperature completely; otherwise, it will not get baked properly.
- Even Distribution: The syrup is the main ingredient in the case of Baklava, and if it is not spread perfectly, then you might not get that tasty delight from Baklava. So make sure you spread your syrup evenly. On every layer of Baklava.
- Labelling and Dating: In order to track the refrigeration time and not allow over-refrigeration, it’s good to label your container with the date and time.
Final Thoughts: Making the Best Choice for Your Baklava
As you have seen, there are different opinions from different baking experts. Some say that in order to enhance the flavors and freshness of Baklava, refrigeration is a good option.
Some might say that if you want Baklava in crispy form, then please do not refrigerate Baklava. So overall, it highly depends on how you want your Baklava to be. If you want your Baklava to be crispy, then it will be good not to Baklava.
Refrigerate before baking, and if you want your Baklava to be fully enhanced in its taste, then refrigeration will be the perfect option. So what looks best to you? Choose the option wisely. I hope this blog has helped you completely in overcoming your confusion regarding the refrigeration of Baklava. Thus, have a happy baking of your Baklava.
