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Many countries calm that they are the origin of the sweet yet flaky, delicious dessert called Baklava. It is a known delicacy in many countries and I have acquired a recipe so you can also enjoy this scrumptious dessert.

Baklava, a sweet rich pastry made with layers of phyllo dough and nuts sweetened with simple syrup. Exquisite and outstanding make ahead dessert.

Ingredients:

PHYLLO

3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup water, plus more if needed

1/2 tsp cider vinegar

Directions:

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer combine flour and salt. Mix            with paddle attachment.

2. Combine water, oil and vinegar in a small bowl.

3. Add water & oil mixture with mixer on low speed, mix until you

    get soft dough, if it appears dry add a little more

    water.Change to the dough hook and let knead approximately

    10 minutes. You will end up with beautiful smooth dough. If

     you are kneading by hand, knead approx. 20 minutes.

4. Remove the dough from mixer and continue to knead for 2

    more minutes. Pick up the dough and through it down hard on

    the counter a few times during the kneading process.

5. Unwrap your dough and cut off a chunk slightly smaller than a

    golf ball. While you are rolling be sure to keep the other dough

    covered so it doesn’t dry out. Be sure to flour your hands,

    rolling pin and counter. As you roll you will need to keep

    adding, don’t worry, you can’t over-flour.

6. Roll out the dough until it is as thin as you can get it. Don’t

    worry if you get rips in the dough, as long as you have one

    perfect one for the top you will never notice.

7. When you get it as thin as you can with the rolling pin,

    carefully pick it up with well floured hands and stretch it on the

    backs of your hands as you would a pizza dough, just helps

    make it that much thinner. Roll out your dough until it is

    transparent. *NOTE: you will not get it as thin as the frozen

    phyllo dough you purchase at the store, it is made by

    machine.

8. Set aside on a well-floured surface. Repeat the process until

    your dough is used up. Between each sheet again flour well.

    You will not need to cover your dough with a wet cloth, as you

    do with boxed dough; it is moist enough that it will not dry out.

 

** Remove all rings and jewelry so it does not snag the dough** Use whatever means you have to get the dough as thin as you can.

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Combine nuts, sugar and spices in a food processor and

    pulse on high until finely chopped. If you do not have a food

    processor chop with a sharp knife as fine as you can. Set

    aside.

3. Trim your phyllo sheets to fit in your pan.

4. Brush bottom of pan with butter and place first phyllo sheet.

    Brush the first phyllo sheet with butter and repeat

    approximately 5 times ending with butter.

6. Sprinkle 1/2 of the nut mixture on top.

7. Continue layering phyllo and buttering repeating 4 times.

8. Sprinkle 1/2 of the nut mixture on top.Continue layering phyllo

    and buttering repeating 4 times.

9. On the top layer, make sure you have a piece of phyllo with no

    holes if possible, just looks better.

10. Once you have applied the top layer tuck in all the edges to

    give a nice appearance.

11. With a sharp knife cut your baklava in desired shapes and

    number of pieces. If you can’t cut all the ways through don’t

    worry you will cut again later. A 9×9 pan cuts nicely into 30

    pieces. Then brush with a generous layer of butter making

    sure to cover every area and edge.

12. Bake for approximately 30 minutes; remove from oven and

    cut again this time all the way through. Continue baking for

    another 30 minutes. *Note: Oven temperatures will vary, you

    are looking for the top to be a golden brown, take close watch

    yours may need more or less time in the oven. When baklava

    is cooked remove from oven.

PHYLLO

FILLING

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/3 cup blanched almonds

1/3 cup raw walnuts

5 tbsp raw pistachios

5 tbsp sugar

Phyllo dough (see recipe above)

1/2 cup melted butter

FILLING

15 minutes

PREPARATION TIME

START TO FINISH

3 hours + overnight rest

*Note 1: To have enough to fill a 9” x 9” baking dish with 18 layers of phyllo you need to double this recipe.

*Note 2: Single recipe will fill an 8” x 5” baking dish.

*Note 3: Dough can be made ahead of time and froze. Just remove from freezer and allow thawing and continuing making your baklava

 

SYRUP

150ml honey

150ml water

140gms sugar

1 cinnamon stick

2 pieces fresh orange peel

A pinch of ground clove

SYRUP

1. When you put your baklava in the oven start making your

    syrup. When you combine the two, one of them needs to be

    hot, it is better when the baklava is hot and the syrup has

    cooled.

2. Combine all ingredients in a medium pot over medium high

    heat. Stir occasionally until sugar has dissolved.

3. Boil for 10 minutes, stir occasionally.

4. Once boiled for 10 minutes remove from heat and strain

    cinnamon stick and orange, allow cooling as baklava cooks.

5. Pour the cooled syrup evenly over the top, taking care to cover

    all surfaces when pouring. It looks like it is a lot but over night

    the syrup will soak into the baklava creating a beautifully

    sweet and wonderfully textured baklava!Next morning all

    syrup is absorbed.

6. Allow to cool to room temperature. Once cooled cover and

    store at room temperature. Allow the baklava to sit overnight

    to absorb the syrup.Serve at room temperature.

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