Basima is a Lebanese sweet very rich in pistachio and pine nuts. It is the crown jewel of all assorted Baklava pastries.
Basima is a sweet made of Knafeh dough. It is as well considered one of the sweets that constitute the collection of assorted Baklava. It is however a far richer pastry than all items in this collection. It includes very generous amount of pistachios, pine nuts, and almonds, which give it a rich and unique taste unmatched by any other type of Lebanese sweets.
The crust is made from the famous Knafeh dough. This is the same dough used in Basma and in the cheese filled Knafeh. Basma and cheese filled Knafeh are two desserts very popular across the Middle East as well as Arabic countries. It is made primarily from water and dough, but it is formed into long and thin strings that take on a brown color after baking.
From the bottom, it is supported by the Knafeh dough. In the middle, it is filled with pistachios. And from the top, it is more and more nuts: Pine nuts and almonds. Thus, this dessert includes three types of high quality rich nuts. Moreover, since it has only one layer of crust, on the bottom only, it is very soft and chewy.
Basima is the preferred piece of dessert for many people. Its soft texture and richness in nuts make it a unique piece far richer than any other type of pastry in the assorted Baklava collection. Its presence in these desserts arrangements make them look richer and of higher value.
It is usually served with other types of Baklava to form an arrangement of Lebanese sweets. It is, like all other types of Middle Easter pastries, consumed as a dessert.
Because it is made by just one manufacturer, Basima is not as widespread as the rest of Baklava types. It is however very popular in Lebanon.
Assorted Baklava makes a great choice for gifts during ceremonies, gatherings, and celebrations, as well as holidays gifts. It is especially used as a gift during religious holidays.
Basima is relatively a new dessert in the Lebanese sweets collection. It is about twelve years old. The oldest type of assorted Baklava is the original Baklava piece, which dates a few hundred years back. Most other types date more than a hundred years as well. Most of them are derived from the authentic original Baklava piece.
Source by Jack Bene
