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Multiple pieces of baklava in a single layer spread on a counter.
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Baklava

Baklava is sweet and nutty with layer upon layer of flaky phyllo dough. With a rich buttery taste and honey syrup, this dessert is unique and surprisingly easy to make.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Greek, Turkish
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings 32 pieces
Calories 216kcal
Author John Kanell

Equipment

  • 13x9 inch baking pan

Ingredients

Honey Syrup:

  • 1 cup water (240mL)
  • 1 cup honey (340g)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • zest and juice of 1 lemon

Baklava:

  • 1 pound chopped nuts walnuts or pistachios (450g)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 16 ounces phyllo dough thawed (450g)
  • ¾ cup butter melted (170g)

Instructions

Honey Syrup:

  • Combine water, honey and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the lemon zest and juice and remove from the heat. Let cool while making the baklava. (Be sure to make this first as the syrup needs to be fully cooled by the time the baklava is done.)

Baklava:

  • Preheat the oven to 350F.
  • Place the nuts in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Transfer them to a large bowl and stir in sugar and cinnamon until combined.
  • Unfold phyllo. Trim to fit a 13x9-inch baking pan. Cover with a tamp tea towel to keep the dough from drying out.
  • Brush bottom and sides of a 13x9-inch baking pan with melted butter. Lay a sheet of phyllo dough in the bottom of the pan and brush with melted butter. Repeat 9 more times, creating a layer of 10 phyllo sheets.
  • Sprinkle and spread a third (about 1 1/4 cups) of the nut mixture evenly over the phyllo.
  • Top with a phyllo sheet and brush with butter. Repeat 5 more times, creating a layer of 6 phyllo sheets. Cover with another third of the nut mixture. Repeat both phyllo and nut layers again.
  • Top the nut mixture with 1 phyllo sheet and brush with butter. Repeat 9 more times, creating a top layer with 10 phyllo sheets. Brush with butter.
  • Using a very sharp knife, cut the baklava into 2-inch wide strips. Cut into the same width strips again running diagonally to the first cuts, creating a diamond pattern.If any melted butter remains, Drizzle it all over the pan.
  • Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Right when the baklava is removed from the over, immediately pour the honey syrup all over. (It should make a sizzling sound.) Let the honey syrup soak into the baklava for about 6 hours before serving. Garnish with finely chopped nuts, if desired.

Video

Notes

  • Start with the honey syrup. The honey simple syrup needs to cool before it is poured over the hot baklava, so start this recipe by making the syrup so it has time to sit and cool while you make and bake the baklava. If desired, you can add a few strips of orange peel or 1/2 teaspoon of orange blossom water to the syrup for flavor.
  • Try specialty honey for a twist. For extra decadence and flavor, I like to use orange blossom honey or locally made specialty honey from a farmers market.
  • Select nuts that are raw and unsalted. Since this dessert bakes for almost an hour, I recommend using raw, not roasted or toasted nuts for this recipe.
  • Cover the phyllo with a damp tea towel. To prevent the phyllo from drying as you build the layers in your baking dish, cover the phyllo dough with a damp tea towel before layering it into the dish. Phyllo becomes very brittle when it dries out and will crumble as you try to layer.
  • Keep the butter warm while building the layers. To prevent the butter from solidifying as you work, keep it in a small pan so you can easily reheat it while you work if needed.
  • Use a straight-edged pan. If you have one, use a 9x13-inch baking pan with straight, not rounded corners. This will help you to evenly stack the layers of phyllo and prevent the stacked layers from shifting when sliced.
  • Slice the baklava into the desired shapes before baking. Before baking the baklava, use a very sharp knife to slice it into the desired shape. A sharp knife will allow you to more easily cut through all the layers of dough. Try cutting the baklava into diamonds, squares, or triangles.
  • Garnish with nuts. To finish off the top of the baked baklava with a garnish, sprinkle additional finely chopped nuts on top of the baklava after pouring on the honey mixture.
  • Allow the dessert to rest for 6 hours before serving. The sweet syrup syrup needs time to soak into all the layers of phyllo dough. Plan to let the baklava sit at room temperature for about 6 hours before serving.
  • Use extra phyllo dough for sweet or savory dishes. If you have extra phyllo, you can wrap it around fish or chicken to create a crispy exterior, make spanakopita, or use it as a topping for fruit cobbler by brushing butter a few phyllo sheets and ruffling them up into little piles to place on top fo the fruit. Tightly wrap extra phyllo dough in plastic wrap and store it according to the package instructions.

Nutrition

Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 136IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg