Chic African Culture Africa Factbook

Did you know?

1. No African country names begin with the letters F, H, I, J, O, P, Q, V, W, X, or Y.

2. Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent.

3. The Republic of the Congo is one of the most urbanized countries in Africa.

Sweet Easy North African Baklava Recipe

Homemade North African Baklava is filled with walnuts, honey and orange blossom water layered with light phyllo pastry.

North African Baklava Recipe

For this North African baklava recipe please make sure the phyllo pastry is thawed before you begin the recipe.

Culture and food of North Africa would not be complete without including Baklava. North African Baklava is a rich, sweet dessert pastry made of layers light airy filo dough filled with chopped nuts, sweetened, with honey.

Sweet Easy North African Baklava Recipe

Serves 10

Sweet Easy North African Baklava Recipe
Baklava 
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 liberally with butter, and sprinkle 3 tablespoons of cinnamon and walnut mixture on top. Repeat layers. Cut baklava into desired serving sizes bake 45-50 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Finally, when the baklava is removed from the oven immediately evenly pour syrup over the finished pastry. Allow cooling before serving. Store uncovered.

Africa is surrounded by water but is not an island, here are a few African Island facts.

Madagascar is the 4th large island in the world and is located in the Indian Ocean supporting a unique biology, about 90% of its plants and animals are found nowhere else on earth.

Composed of 155 islands, Seychelles is Africa's smallest country. By far the largest island is Mahe, home to about 90% of the population and the site of its capital city of Victoria.

Cabo Verde has a strategic location 310 miles or 500 km from the west coast of Africa near major north-south sea routes; important communications station; important sea and air refueling site.

Africa is surrounded by water but by definition Africa is not an island because Africa is a continent. Continents can not be considered islands because of their size and also by historic definition since many people who study geography define islands and continents as two different things.

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Being African in America I have grown up learning about different ethnic cultures. My father and mother are historians of African culture and history and their influence expanded my activities to several best-selling cookbooks, magazine columns, self-branded products, and a popular African culture and food blog.

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