Name: Baklava
Ingredients: 1 16oz package phyllo dough, fully thawed; 12-13 oz chopped nuts (I use all walnuts, sometimes I replace 1 cup of walnuts with pistachios); 1 cup plus 3 TBSP unsalted butter, melted; 1 tsp cinnamon; 1/2 tsp cardamom; 1/8 tsp cloves; pinch of salt; 1½ cups sugar; 1 cup water; ¾ cup honey; 1 1/2 tsp vanilla; 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice; 1 1/2 tsp orange blossom water; long peel from one lemon; Optional: ¼ tsp rose water (for enhanced fragrance and depth); 1/2 tsp cardamom; 1/4 tsp cinnamon

One of the world’s most delicious desserts, if you ask me 🙂

Baklava

Recipe by Ellen

Servingsservings

Prep timeminutes

Cooking timeminutes

Calorieskcal

Ingredients

1 16oz package phyllo dough, fully thawed
12-13 oz chopped nuts (I use all walnuts, sometimes I replace 1 cup of walnuts with pistachios)
1 cup plus 3 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/8 tsp cloves
pinch of salt
For the syrup:
1½ cups sugar
1 cup water
¾ cup honey
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp orange blossom water
long peel from one lemon
Optional: ¼ tsp rose water (for enhanced fragrance and depth)
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350F. Set the racks to the bottom third of the oven.
Butter 9x13 pan and line it with parchment paper, making sure it overhangs so you can lift your baklava with ease. Brush some butter on top of parchment.
Combine nuts, cardamom, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Pulse until chopped well but not too finely. Set aside.
Roll out your phyllo pastry and cut it in half so it fits your pan. Cover the pastry with a damp towel while your work, as it dries out quickly.
Lay two sheets of phyllo into the prepared pan. Brush evenly and liberally with butter. Repeat until you have used up 8 sheets (so 4 layers, 2 sheets per layer), brushing after every 2 layers.
Sprinkle with about 3-4 TBSP nut mixture. Place 2 phyllo sheets and brush with butter. Keep repeating until all the nuts are used up.
Once all the nuts are used up, lets focus on the top layer, which is 8 phyllo sheets. So lay 2 sheets and brush liberally with butter. Keep repeating until all 8 top sheets are made. Brush with butter and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. This refrigerating step will make it much easier to cut into diamond shapes! Remove from the fridge and cut into diamond shapes.
Place into the preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes until crisp and golden.
Instructions for the Syrup:
Combine sugar, water, honey, and lemon juice in a saucepan.
Bring the mixture gently to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until sugar fully dissolves.
Reduce heat slightly, maintaining a gentle boil, and cook for about 6–8 minutes. (Do not boil excessively; it should slightly thicken but remain fluid enough for easy absorption.)
Remove from heat. Immediately add lemon zest, vanilla extract, orange blossom water, cardamom, cinnamon and optional rose water. Stir gently.
Allow syrup to cool to warm or room temperature (not cold) before pouring evenly over hot baklava.
When baklava is ready, remove from the oven. Reinforce the diamond cuts you previously made in step 7. Pour the syrup evenly over the baklava and allow it to cool completely uncovered. This dessert should be made the day before as it's at its best the next day.