Layered phyllo pastry with walnuts, pistachios, and honey syrup — buttery, sweet, sticky perfection.
Baklava is one of the world's great desserts — paper-thin phyllo dough layered with chopped nuts and butter, baked until golden, then drenched in fragrant honey-lemon syrup. The result is impossibly crispy, sticky-sweet, and aromatic with cinnamon and cloves. Greek baklava typically uses honey syrup; Turkish versions favor sugar syrup with rose water.
Serves 24
Mix walnuts, pistachios, cinnamon, and ground cloves.
Brush a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter. Layer 8 sheets phyllo, brushing each with butter.
Sprinkle 1/3 of nut mixture evenly over phyllo.
Add 4 more buttered phyllo sheets, then nuts. Repeat 2 more times. Top with 8 buttered phyllo sheets.
Using a sharp knife, cut diagonal lines through all layers to make diamond shapes.
Bake at 175°C for 50 minutes until deep golden brown and crispy.
While baking, simmer sugar, water, honey, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, and cloves for 15 minutes. Cool slightly.
Pour cooled syrup over hot baklava. Let absorb and cool completely (4+ hours) before serving.
Hot baklava + cool syrup (or vice versa) — never both same temperature.
Don't cut all the way through bottom layer until after baking.
Use only walnuts or only pistachios.
Add orange zest to syrup.
Room temperature in covered container up to 2 weeks. Don't refrigerate — it gets soggy.
Baklava's origins are debated, with Greek, Turkish, and Middle Eastern claims. It became prominent in the Ottoman court.
Syrup was too hot when poured. Always pour cool syrup on hot baklava (or hot syrup on cool baklava).
Per serving (80g) · 24 servings total
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