Description
This easy baklava recipe features flaky phyllo pastry layered with a spiced walnut filling, baked to golden perfection and drenched in a sweet honey syrup. Perfect for a special dessert or festive occasion, this traditional Middle Eastern treat combines crunchy textures with rich, luscious flavors, offering a delightful balance of sweetness and spice.
Ingredients
Scale
Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup pure honey
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Baklava
- 16 ounce package phyllo dough (thawed)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, melted)
- 4 cups walnuts (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare the Phyllo Dough: Open the phyllo pastry dough package and cover it with a damp towel to prevent drying out. If necessary, trim the dough to fit your glass baking dish.
- Grease the Baking Dish: Grease a 13 x 9-inch or larger glass baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter and set it aside for layering.
- Make the Syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, honey, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat while stirring often until the sugar is dissolved. Lower the heat and simmer without stirring for 4 minutes, then set the syrup aside to cool completely.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) to ensure it’s ready for baking.
- Prepare the Nut Filling: In a medium bowl, mix the finely chopped walnuts with ground cinnamon thoroughly.
- Assemble the Layers (Bottom Phyllo & Nuts): Lay one sheet of phyllo dough in the buttered dish and brush with melted butter. Repeat layering and buttering with 9 more sheets, then spread ¾ cup of the walnut mixture evenly over the phyllo layers.
- Middle Layers: Place another 5 sheets of phyllo, brushing each with butter, then sprinkle another ¾ cup of walnut mixture on top.
- Continue Layering: Alternate walnut mixture and phyllo layers repeating until all walnuts are used, finally topping with 10 sheets of phyllo brushed with butter.
- Slice the Baklava: Brush the top layer generously with butter. Using a sharp knife, first cut the pastry into 1 1/2 inch strips, then slice diagonally in both directions to create diamond shapes.
- Bake: Place the baklava uncovered in the oven and bake for 1 hour and 25 minutes until the pastry turns a golden brown color and is crisp.
- Add Syrup: Immediately after removing the baklava from the oven, pour the cooled syrup evenly over the hot pastry to soak in.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the baklava to cool completely to set the syrup. For best flavor and texture, cover and let it sit overnight before serving.
Notes
- Ensure the phyllo dough is kept covered with a damp towel at all times to prevent it from drying out and breaking.
- You can substitute walnuts with pistachios or a mix of nuts to customize the flavor.
- Slicing the baklava before baking ensures easy serving and helps the syrup penetrate each piece uniformly.
- Allowing the baklava to rest overnight enriches the flavor as the syrup fully absorbs into the layers.
- Use unsalted butter to control the saltiness and keep the sweetness balanced.
