Our Story

The Egyptian Confection is back for the holidays!

 

Hi, I’m Amani (rhymes with Danny), and I’m honored to bring my family’s sweet legacy ​t​o your holiday table.

Our baclawa is legendary: a story that stretches across oceans, cultures, and generations.

 

A Romance at Sea (1951)

The origins of The Egyptian Confection begin aboard a ship crossing the Atlantic in December 1951.

My father, Youssef “Joe” Loutfy, a then 27-year-old Egyptian merchant marine, met Dorothy Clardy, a 19-year-old Seattleite, under dark and stormy skies. Two weeks, a stop in Casablanca, and a shared sense of adventure were all it took for Dorothy to decide she was moving to Africa with the handsome sailor she had just met.

 

A New Life in Seattle (1962)

After more than a decade in Egypt together, my parents left and settled permanently in Seattle in 1962. Youssef, then a decorated Ship Captain on the Suez Canal, left behind the sea, his motherland, and the British bureaucracy that came with it, to build a new life with Dorothy.

 

In those early years, he worked odd jobs before finding a home at Boeing, where his intellect and talent flourished. For 13 years, he translated Arabic for overseas proposals and even designed logos for international dignitaries. Mom also spent time at Boeing, working as a secretary in the steam turbine division.

 

A Neighbor’s Suggestion That Changed Everything (1981)

One Friday evening, following a layoff notice, the neighbors were gathered around our dining room table as usual at the end of a busy work week, and someone casually asked,

“What about that baclawa you make at Christmas? People love that!”

 

And just like that, The Egyptian Confection was born.
 

Growing Up in the Kitchen

The business grew quickly, eventually supporting our family full-time until my father’s passing in 1991. I grew up baking beside my dad. After he died in 1991, my mom continued on, baking baclawa seasonally and for custom orders, until her passing in 2020. That's when I took the baton.

 

Today, when I say “we" are baking, I mean it with my whole heart.

My parents are with me in the kitchen: every fold of phyllo, every sprinkle of nuts, in the family syrup recipe.

 

Honoring a Legacy—One Pan at a Time

Our Egyptian-style baclawa is crafted in small batches, using techniques and traditions passed down through generations.

My hope is simple: that every bite brings you pleasure, comfort, and a little sweetness in these challenging times.

Thank you for supporting this business, and for welcoming a piece of my family’s history into your home.

 

— Amani