Güllaç

Güllaç is a delightful Turkish dessert made with milk, pomegranate, and a special kind of pastry. It’s particularly popular during Ramadan. Some believe Güllaç is a precursor to baklava, as both desserts involve thin layers of dough and nuts. Traditionally, Güllaç dough was made solely from wheat starch, but today, corn starch and wheat flour are also used. Typically, walnuts are layered between the sheets of Güllaç, which are then soaked in milk.

The earliest known mention of Güllaç dates back to the 14th century in a book called "Yinshan Zhenyao" by Hu Sihui, a physician at the Mongol court during the Yuan dynasty. This book primarily features Mongol and Turkic dishes with some Chinese influences. Historically, Güllaç was used to make special Turkish desserts like Güllaç Lokması and Güllaç Baklavası during the Ottoman era. The name Güllaç derives from "Güllü" and "aş" meaning "food with roses." While the dessert might sometimes include rose elements like petals or syrup, the name actually refers to the way the layers of Güllaç resemble rose petals.