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The African Gourmet

The African Gourmet: Explore African Culture & Recipes

One bowl of fufu can explain a war. One proverb can outsmart a drought.
Welcome to the real Africa—told through food, memory, and truth.

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Transformation

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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DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17329200

African Recipes Organized by Meal Time

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Ivy, founder and author of The African Gourmet

About the Author

Ivy is the founder and lead writer of The African Gourmet. For over 19 years, she has been dedicated to researching, preserving, and sharing the rich culinary heritage and food stories from across the African continent.

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Recipes as Revolution

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When food becomes protest and meals carry political meaning

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African woman farmer

She Feeds Africa

Before sunrise, after sunset, seven days a week — she grows the food that keeps the continent alive.

60–80 % of Africa’s calories come from her hands.
Yet the land, the credit, and the recognition still belong to someone else.

Read her story →

To every mother of millet and miracles —
thank you.

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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.