Devrek White Baklava

Devrek White Baklava is a syrup-soaked pastry made using traditional methods in the Devrek district of Zonguldak province, Türkiye. It consists of multiple layers of thin dough, clarified butter, and crushed walnut kernels. The product is called “white baklava” because it is baked without browning the top surface. It has been officially registered with a “Geographical Indication” by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office.

^{Devrek White Baklava / Devrek White Baklava} (Culture Portal)

Devrek White Baklava is a multi-layered baklava variety prepared using specially formulated wheat flour, eggs, quince vinegar, wheat starch, clarified butter and walnut kernels. The walnut kernels are sourced from local walnuts with a distinctive pale, thin-shell structure. The product’s distinguishing feature is its baking in a stone oven known as a “kara fırın,” using oak wood fire, ensuring the top surface does not brown. The walnut content must constitute at least 30 percent of the total weight of the product before syruping.

Appearance: It has a multi-layered structure with light coloring and an un-browned upper surface, cut into rhombus-shaped (baklava) pieces.

Taste and Texture: It features a rich walnut aroma, a layered dough structure, and a soft-crumbly texture balanced by clarified butter. The syrup is evenly distributed between the layers.

• Crushed walnut kernels are evenly sprinkled after every ten layers, with the dough built up to a maximum of 55 layers.
• The walnuts used have an oil content of 50–65 percent.
• Clarified butter is made from unsalted butter derived from churning.
• The syrup is prepared using purified crystalline sugar and lemon.
• It is baked in a traditional stone oven without browning the surface.

For one tray:

• 2.5 kg special-purpose wheat flour
• 3 eggs
• ½ teacup liquid oil
• ½ teacup quince vinegar
• 20 g salt
• Water as needed

• 300 g clarified butter
• 300 g crushed walnut kernels
• 2 kg powdered sugar
• 2 L water
• ½ lemon
• 1 pinch salt

1. The dough is prepared by mixing flour, eggs, salt, liquid oil and vinegar, then kneaded until smooth.
2. After resting, each dough ball is rolled out extremely thin using wheat starch.
3. The first layers are made with moist dough sheets, while subsequent layers use sheets with reduced moisture.
4. Crushed walnut kernels are evenly sprinkled after every ten layers. The layering is completed when 55 layers are reached.
5. The pastry is cut into rhombus-shaped pieces.
6. Melted and hot clarified butter is poured over the layers.
7. The pastry is baked in a stone oven fueled by oak wood, ensuring the surface does not brown.
8. Cooled syrup is poured over the baked pastry, which is then left to rest for several hours before consumption.

Devrek White Baklava may be produced only within the boundaries of the Devrek district in Zonguldak province. The flour, walnuts, clarified butter and eggs used in the product must be sourced from the Devrek region. All stages of production must be carried out within this geographical boundary.