# What are these delicacies The Algerian Baker is making?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-delicacies-the-algerian-baker-is-making/774251>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 9, 2016, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-delicacies-the-algerian-baker-is-making/774251 "2016-12-09T03:15:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2016, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-delicacies-the-algerian-baker-is-making/774251/1 "2016-12-09T03:15:45Z")

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Oakland, California, where I work, has a wonderful Middle Eastern grocery/cafe called The Oasis. Fairly recently, they added a dessert counter which, according to local gossip, has a baker from Algeria. He is making all kinds of wonderful desserts I have never seen before, with wonderful exotic ingredients.

Although wikipedia has a pretty good section on desserts from around the world, I have not been able to find anything listed that is like the things I’ve gotten there.

I am aware that a given dessert might not be a formal dish with a proper name, as it’s just a simple combination of common ingredients.

That being said, I would like to know if these things have names:

1. Is a layer of unsweetened shredded coconut, then a layer of ground pistachio, then more coconut, smothered in simple syrup and rosewater. Like baklava without the phyllo.

2. Is similar to 1, but with a layer of flan-like stuff underneath.

3. Is a cake with semolina, ground nuts and simple syrup.

It’s amazing how rosewater lingers on your lips with a trace of sugar.

I am going to get so fat now…

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**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2016, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-delicacies-the-algerian-baker-is-making/774251/2 "2016-12-09T03:38:15Z")

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Try searching [www.allrecipes.com](http://www.allrecipes.com)

I also saw abook titled An Edible Mosaic, which is supposed to have Mid Eastern recipes… I have aton of cookbooks, and while I’ve found recipes using those ingredients, I haven’t seen one quite like the ones you described.

I’ll look around more, they sound nummy.

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**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2016, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-delicacies-the-algerian-baker-is-making/774251/3 "2016-12-09T03:51:14Z")

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Google the word recipe followed by all the ingredients you can discern. That usually works for me. . .

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**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2016, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-delicacies-the-algerian-baker-is-making/774251/4 "2016-12-09T03:57:23Z")

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Ah. Good advice. I have searched just specifically for “Algerian sweets,” which produced a titillating array of dangerous desserts different from the ones I’m seeking.

Ha ha, extra point to you guys for figuring out that recipes are what I want.