Easy and delicious Baklava recipe
This crispy dessert will satisfy even the most difficult sweet tooth. Anyone familiar with the Middle Eastern, North African or Eastern Mediterranean customs surely knows that there are many ways to make Baklava. I’ve tasted it made with with pistachios, almonds, walnuts or a mix of these. Our family favorite is the one that includes only walnuts. Of course you need filo dough, honey for the syrup and some additional ingredients as you will see below.
Making Baklava is simpler than you think to prepare.
Just place the nuts, cinnamon and sugar in a food processor and chop. The coarseness of the walnuts is a personal choice but I prefer them finely chopped like the photo below.
You then melt butter and grease bottom of a 9 X 13” baking dish. Lay 8 sheets of filo one at a time while buttering between each sheet.
Sprinkle 3 -4 tablespoons of nut mixture covering the entire surface of the baking dish. Cover with two more sheets of buttered filo dough. Repeat until you run out of nut mixture.
Lay last 8 remaining sheets of filo one at a time while you butter between each sheet. Pour remaining melted butter making sure the last layer is well buttered.
Score the top of the Baklava into the slices that you like. I usually do 1 inch squares or triangles. Bake for 45 -50 min or until the top has turned a nice golden brown. Finally, 10 minutes before the baklava is done, take it out of the oven and sprinkle top with water. You will hear it sizzle as you do this (this makes it crispy). Place back in oven for the remaining 10 minutes.
Syrup: Combine honey, water and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Add the lemon juice and cinnamon stick and simmer for 10-15 min. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Pour the syrup slowly with a ladle covering the entire Baklava and allowing it to absorb completely before pouring more. Let cool and serve.
Note 1: The trick that will allow it to “absorb” the syrup evenly is the Baklava needs to be hot and the syrup cold.
Note 2: While layering the Baklava, ensure to always cover the remaining the filo dough with a moist towel as it dries out very quickly.
Baklava / Walnut and filo pastry dessert
Ingredients
- 4 cups walnuts coarsely chopped
- 1 package filo dough
- 1 1/4 cup butter melted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
For the syrup
- 4 cups granulated sugar
- 3 cups water
- 1/2 cup honey
- 5-6 cloves
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Place walnuts and in a food processor. Sprinkle with cinnamon and blend until nuts are coarsely chopped (I prefer to chop them on the smaller side). Add the sugar and mix thoroughly.
- Melt butter. rease bottom of a 9 X 13” baking dish. Lay 8 sheets of filo one at a time while buttering between each sheet.
- Sprinkle 3 -4 tablespoons of nut mixture covering the entire surface of the baking dish. Cover with two more sheets of buttered filo dough. Repeat until you run out of nut mixture.
- Lay last 8 remaining sheets of filo one at a time while you butter between each sheet. Pour remaining melted butter making sure the last layer is well buttered.
- Score the top of the baklava into the slices that you like. I usually do 1 inch squares or triangles. Bake for 45 -50 min or until the top has turned a nice golden brown. Finally, 10 minutes before the Baklava is done, take it out of the oven and sprinkle top with water. You will hear it sizzle as you do this (this makes it crispy). Place back in oven for the remaining 10 minutes. Let cool completely before applying the syrup.
For the syrup
- Syrup: Combine Honey, water and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Add the lemon juice, cloves and the cinnamon stick and simmer for 10-15 min. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Pour the syrup slowly with a ladle covering the entire baklava and allowing it to absorb completely before pouring more. Let cool and serve.
- Note 1: The trick that will allow the Baklava to “absorb” the syrup evenly is the Baklava needs to be hot and the syrup cold (or vice versa)
- Note 2: While layering the Baklava, ensure to always cover the remaining the filo dough with a moist towel as it dries out very quickly.
Gina
I love to share my passion of Greece and to promote Hellenism all over the world through it's culture, history, cuisine and magnificent destinations.
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