Baklava shapes and what they are called

Walk into a Turkish baklava shop and the trays do not all look alike. Squares, wedges, triangles, rolls, little nests: the same few ingredients, folded and cut in different ways. Here is what the common shapes are called, and what each one is like to eat.

Square (kare baklava)

The shape most people picture. Sheets of phyllo and a layer of nuts are stacked in a rectangular tray and cut into squares before baking. It gives the classic cross-section: crisp layers on top, the nut stripe in the middle, syrup-soaked layers below. In Turkish shops it is often simply called baklava, or kare (square) when there is a choice.

Diamond

The same stacked tray, cut on the diagonal. Diamonds are common in Greek and many home kitchens and are easy to spot at a bake sale. The taste is the same as a square; the shape just shows off the layers on more sides.

Carrot slice (havuç dilimi)

Baked in a round tray and cut from the center outward into long wedges, so each piece is thin at one end and tall at the other, like a slice of carrot cut on the bias. It is a Gaziantep specialty and usually pistachio. Because the pieces are tall and generous with nuts, it is a favorite for a special occasion.

Şöbiyet

A triangle-shaped pocket: phyllo folded around a filling of pistachio and, traditionally, a layer of cream (kaymak) or a semolina cream. Softer and richer than plain baklava, with a creamy middle under the nuts. Because of the cream it is best eaten fresh.

Roll (dürüm, sarma)

Phyllo rolled tightly around pistachios into a long log, baked, soaked and cut into short lengths. Each piece shows a spiral or a solid green center when you look at the end. Dürüm and sarma both mean “rolled” or “wrapped”, and shops use the names a little differently, but both are a cylinder packed with nuts.

Burma

“Burma” means twisted. Sheets are rolled around a thin rod, pushed together so they gather into ridges, then the rod is slipped out. The result is a ridged, crunchy log, often filled with pistachio or walnut, cut into pieces after baking. More crunch, less soft middle.

Nightingale’s nest (bülbül yuvası)

Rolled and gathered phyllo shaped into a small round nest, with whole or chopped pistachios set in the middle like eggs. Crisp, light and pretty on a plate, which makes it a common choice for an assortment box.

Dry baklava (kuru baklava)

Not a shape but a style worth knowing: baklava made with less syrup so it stays drier and crisper. It travels and keeps well, and it suits anyone who finds classic baklava too sweet.

Cold baklava (soğuk baklava)

A newer style from Turkey: thin baklava soaked with a milk-based syrup instead of plain sugar syrup, served chilled and often topped with cocoa. It is the one baklava that belongs in the fridge. Classic baklava does not; see how to store baklava.

Which shape is ours?

Our baklava is pistachio, in the 1 lb box with 16 pieces and the half box with 8 pieces. For how a tray is built from the bottom sheet up, see baklava, layer by layer, and for the two classic fillings, pistachio vs walnut.

FAQ

What are the different types of baklava?

The common shapes are square and diamond (cut from a stacked tray), carrot slice (long wedges from a round tray), şöbiyet (a cream-filled triangle), rolls (dürüm or sarma), burma (a ridged twisted log) and nightingale’s nest (a small round nest of phyllo with pistachios in the middle).

What is havuç dilimi baklava?

“Carrot slice” baklava: baked in a round tray and cut from the center into long wedges. It is a Gaziantep specialty, usually filled with pistachio.

What is şöbiyet?

A triangle-shaped baklava with pistachio and, traditionally, a layer of cream or semolina cream inside. It is softer and richer than plain baklava.

What is cold baklava?

A Turkish style made with a milk-based syrup and served chilled, often with cocoa on top. Classic baklava, by contrast, is kept at room temperature.

Our baklava contains wheat (gluten), tree nuts (pistachios), milk, soy and honey, and may contain traces of peanuts and other tree nuts.