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acamp7

Active member
I was thinking that it would be fun to make chocolate baklava. I have made a version of chocolate baklava that involved putting chocolate chips in with the walnuts. It was good but not great. Honestly I was just winging it and I could have messed something up. If anyone has a recipe for this feel free to send it my way!

I bumped into a recipe for chocolate baklava somewhere that called for chocolate phyllo. Is this a thing I can actually buy? If not, is this easy enough to make? I make regular phyllo all the time.

The only problem is, for baklava I like the thin sheets of Phyllo and mine don't come. close. Your thoughts are appreciated.
 
Yes chocolate phyllo dough is a thing as is chocolate puff pastry. I have not found it yet in supermarkets. The truth is your best bet is to make it on your own. Though as you said, homemade phyllo tends to be thicker than store bought phyllo. I say go ahead and make it. Be cautious on how much coco powder you use and when opening them (rolling them out) use coco powder instead of cornstarch. I would love to see photo of it if you do. Share it with us here or privately on my Insta at @PemiKanavos.
If you are to bored of making chocolate phyllo try out our chocolate baklava in our new book “Baking baklava” our syrup is chocolatey to add more chocolate flavor to the baklava!
 
I was thinking that it would be fun to make chocolate baklava. I have made a version of chocolate baklava that involved putting chocolate chips in with the walnuts. It was good but not great. Honestly I was just winging it and I could have messed something up. If anyone has a recipe for this feel free to send it my way!

I bumped into a recipe for chocolate baklava somewhere that called for chocolate phyllo. Is this a thing I can actually buy? If not, is this easy enough to make? I make regular phyllo all the time.

The only problem is, for baklava I like the thin sheets of Phyllo and mine don't come. close. Your thoughts are appreciated.

Seems like you can only buy direct for now

 
I read a tip for making thin phyllo and I wonder if anyone has ever tried this - use a pasta machine - one of those with a crank that flattens the dough.

My concern is that this will overwork the phyllo. But I know it can help get the sheets thinner. I saw it in a cookbook somewhere but I've never personally tried it.

Let us know how things turn out with the chocolate phyllo!
 

Do you make your pastitsio with a thick or thin layer of krema?

I've always preferred my pastitsio with a nice, thick layer of béchamel on top. To me, that's one of the best parts of the dish! I love when the krema is rich, creamy, and thick enough to hold its shape when you cut into the pastitsio.

The problem is that I've been having trouble getting my krema just right. Sometimes it comes out too thin, and other times the texture isn't quite as smooth as I'd like. I've tried adjusting the amount of flour and milk, but I still haven't found the perfect balance.

I'm curious how everyone else makes theirs. Do you prefer a thick layer of béchamel or just enough to cover the pasta? Does your family add eggs or cheese to the mixture?

I'd especially love to hear any tips for making a thick, smooth krema that sets beautifully when baked!

How Much Garlic in a Batch of Tzatziki?

How much garlic do you usually put in a batch of tzatziki? I think I may be using a little too much. I usually make mine with about 2 cups of Greek yogurt and 4 cloves of garlic, along with cucumber, olive oil, and the other usual ingredients.

It tastes great when I first make it, but we usually take about three days to finish the batch. By the second or third day, the garlic flavor and smell become really strong. Some people in my household love that and don’t mind it at all, but others think it becomes a bit overpowering. I’m starting to agree that four cloves might be too much, especially since the garlic seems to get stronger as it sits.

What do you all do? How many cloves would you use for about 2 cups of Greek yogurt?

Do You Make Avgolemono Thick or Brothy?

I usually prefer avgolemono somewhere in the middle. I don’t like it so thick that it feels almost like a cream soup, but I also don’t want it completely thin and brothy. For me, the best version has enough egg and lemon to give the broth some body while still keeping it light.

A lot probably depends on what kind of avgolemono you’re making, too. In chicken soup, I like it a little more brothy because I want the rice or orzo and chicken to still stand out. With something like lahanodolmades, I don’t mind the avgolemono sauce being thicker because it is coating the food rather than serving as the soup itself.

The lemon level matters just as much as the thickness. I like enough lemon to make it bright and noticeable, but not so much that it overwhelms everything else. I think balance is really the key.

Do you put potatoes in your briam?

I've noticed that there are quite a few variations of briam, especially when it comes to which vegetables people include. One ingredient I'm particularly curious about is potatoes. Do you always put potatoes in your briam, or do you prefer making it without them?

I usually think of briam as a combination of zucchini, eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and plenty of olive oil. I love how the potatoes absorb all those wonderful flavors as everything slowly roasts together in the oven.

However, I've seen recipes that leave the potatoes out entirely and focus more on the summer vegetables. I imagine that makes the dish a little lighter.

I'm also curious whether there are regional differences in how briam is prepared throughout Greece. Does your family have a particular way of making it? And what vegetables do you consider absolutely essential?

What Is the Best Way to Serve Taramosalata?

I absolutely love taramosalata and have it pretty regularly at home, but I’m having some people over soon and was wondering about the best way to serve it when entertaining.

Normally I just eat it with some bread or pita, so I don’t really put much thought into presentation. For guests, though, I’d like to make it part of a nice Greek-style spread with a few other things on the table. I was thinking warm pita triangles, crusty bread, maybe some cucumber and other vegetables for dipping, but I’m curious what everyone else usually serves with it.

Do you drizzle a little olive oil over the top or add any kind of garnish? And are there particular meze that you think pair especially well with taramosalata?

I’d love some ideas for making it look a little more special while still keeping everything traditional and simple.
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