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For 19 years, The African Gourmet has preserved Africa's stories through food, history, and folklore. Selected for expert consideration by the Library of Congress Web Archives, the world's premier guardian of cultural heritage, ensuring our digital timeline endures for generations.

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How to use orange blossom water

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Baklava is filo dough stacked with honey and nuts baked with orange blossom water to make a sweet traditional Moroccan North African dessert.

Moroccan Orange Blossom Water Baklava Recipe

The sweet history of Moroccan Baklava is as diverse as the number of ways it is prepared throughout North Africa. Hint: Filo dough and puff pastry are not interchangeable in this recipe. Filo dough is a dough that is stretched to a semi transparent sheet and frozen. Puff pastry is dough that's layered with butter.

Orange Blossom Water Baklava Recipe 

Learn how to make an easy Moroccan North African Orange Blossom Water Baklava recipe with filo dough.

Moroccan Orange Blossom Water Baklava Recipe Serves 12


Moroccan Orange Blossom Water Baklava Recipe Serves 12

Total time from start to finish 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

One 16 ounce package phyllo dough

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups chopped walnuts

1 cup melted butter

Baklava Syrup

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup water

½ cup orange blossom honey

¼ teaspoon orange blossom water


Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Mix cinnamon and walnuts in a medium bowl, set aside.

Unroll phyllo cut into two equal halves. Cover phyllo with a slightly moist cloth while assembling to keep from drying out. Place 2 sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the prepared dish, brush generously with butter, and sprinkle cinnamon and walnut mixture on top.

Repeat layers.

Cut baklava into desired serving sizes bake 45-50 minutes.

Combine remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low.

When the baklava is removed from the oven immediately evenly pour syrup over the finished pastry. Allow cooling before serving.

How to use orange blossom water

Did you know?

Ilma Zhar or orange flower water is a clear strong, distillation of fresh bitter-orange blossoms. In Morocco, orange blossom water is called Ilma Zhar, a phrase in Arabic meaning flower water.

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The African Gourmet explores how African food, history, and science intertwine. Here, a plant is a healer, a story is a map, and the kitchen is a laboratory. I’m Ivy — a writer raised by historians, now sharing Africa’s wisdom from the U.S. through cookbooks, cultural research, and storytelling. If you’re curious about where flavor meets memory, you belong here.

Recipes Explain Politics

When Rice Recipes Become Revolution

What if your grandmother's rice recipe could explain the Liberian Rice Riots of 1979?

"In Liberia, rice isn't just food—it's life, identity, and sovereignty. When the government proposed raising rice prices in 1979, they weren't just adjusting economics; they were threatening every grandmother's ability to feed her family according to traditions passed down for generations."

The riot that followed wasn't about politics—it was about the sacred right to cook your family's rice recipe.

The Deeper Recipe

  • Ingredients: Colonial trade patterns + Urbanization + Economic inequality
  • Preparation: Political disconnect from daily survival needs
  • Serving: 40+ deaths, regime destabilization, and a warning about ignoring cultural fundamentals

This is African Gourmet analysis: understanding how the food in grandmother's pot connects to the protests in the streets. The recipes we inherit carry not just flavor, but the entire history of our political and economic struggles.

Read the Rice Riots Analysis → Try Liberian Rice Bread Recipe
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African Gourmet FAQ

Archive Inquiries

Why "The African Gourmet" if you're an archive?

The name reflects our origin in 2006 as a culinary anthropology project. Over 18 years, we've evolved into a comprehensive digital archive preserving Africa's cultural narratives. "Gourmet" now signifies our curated approach to cultural preservation—each entry carefully selected and contextualized.

What distinguishes this archive from other cultural resources?

We maintain 18 years of continuous cultural documentation—a living timeline of African expression. Unlike static repositories, our archive connects historical traditions with contemporary developments, showing cultural evolution in real time.

How is content selected for the archive?

Our curation follows archival principles: significance, context, and enduring value. We preserve both foundational cultural elements and timely analyses, ensuring future generations understand Africa's complex cultural landscape.

What geographic scope does the archive cover?

The archive spans all 54 African nations, with particular attention to preserving underrepresented cultural narratives. Our mission is comprehensive cultural preservation across the entire continent.

Can researchers access the full archive?

Yes. As a digital archive, we're committed to accessibility. Our 18-year collection is fully searchable and organized for both public education and academic research.

How does this archive ensure cultural preservation?

Through consistent documentation since 2006, we've created an irreplaceable cultural record. Each entry is contextualized within broader African cultural frameworks, preserving not just content but meaning.