Rich Syrian Sweets Introduced Into Korea
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
Damascus, the capital city of Syria, is also known as the capital of Arabic sweets. "Visitors often buy packets of desserts and chocolates," Fadi Kalkoush, visiting chef at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, said.
Kalkoush is visiting Korea to introduce some Arabic, specifically Syrian, desserts. Though not yet well-known in Korea, the Western world has already started to appreciate the region's sweets. His visit was at the invitation of the head chef of the Hyatt in Seoul, who was impressed with his works.
"Syrian desserts are mostly made with Phyllo dough (pastry dough), some semolina flour, lots of nuts and ghee butter (refined butter). They are rich in flavor but soft and crunchy in texture," he said.
That texture was evident in his presentations here. Pistachios, walnuts, cashews and hazelnuts clash inside the mouth and along with the rich flavors.
Kalkoush, a cook with 17 years experience, has created a chocolate variation of the traditional Syrian pastry Backlwa. The pastry is crisp and crunchy, and the sugar-coated top delicately distributes sweetness. But it isn't as rich as Western desserts; rather, it is subtle and quiet, allowing the flavors to interact.
"I think the Chocolate Backlwa is nothing conventional. It is very new and light," he said.
Nut fans will love Warbat Bil Sounaber, made of phyllo dough, ghee butter, sugar syrup and pine nuts. The bitter-crisp taste of the pine nut matches well with the rich ghee butter and sugar, which are used to hold the nuts together.
Wardat Almond, a mini-sandwich of phyllo dough, ghee butter, sugar syrup, almond and whipping cream, is the bestseller, according to Hyatt spokeswoman Hwang Yoon-jung.
"People love the soft and milky flavor of the whipped cream mixed with almonds," Kalkoush said. Its shape ― like little clouds packed together ― gives a dreamy image, too," Hwang said.
Kalkoush said phyllo dough is quite challenging for even the masters to make. It is made of flour, water and a little bit of oil. Then it's rolled into thin, nearly translucent sheets of dough and is used to make sweets such as backlwa and konafah. "You need at least a year to make it. The choux is usually paper-thin but has to have individual flavors on each level," he said.
Also, some desserts take about three days to make. "You make the dough on the first day, and the fillings on the following day. Then it takes a day for the choux and the filling to stick together for cutting," he said.
Kalkoush was born in Syria and has worked for numerous lucrative diners and sweet makers such as Booz A-jedi Restaurant, Nabil Nfiseh Sweet, Samiramis Sweet, and Mhanna Sweet. He now works for the Park Hyatt Dubai as assistant chef.
The hotel is selling the sweets at 5,000 won per 100 grams.