Description
Baklava is a delicious pastry made of layers of phyllo dough filled with nuts and sweetened with syrup, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups walnuts, finely chopped
- 1 cup almonds, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 package (16 ounces) phyllo dough, thawed
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with some of the melted butter.
- In a bowl, combine the chopped walnuts, chopped almonds, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
- Unroll the phyllo dough and cover it with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out. Place one sheet of phyllo in the prepared baking dish and brush it lightly with melted butter. Repeat this process, layering and buttering 8 sheets of phyllo.
- Sprinkle a thin layer of the nut mixture over the phyllo.
- Layer 2 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each with melted butter. Add another layer of the nut mixture. Repeat the layering process until all the nuts are used, finishing with 8 layers of phyllo on top, each brushed with butter.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamond or square shapes.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes, or until the baklava is golden brown and crisp.
- While the baklava is baking, prepare the syrup. In a saucepan, combine sugar, water, honey, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Once the baklava is done baking, immediately pour the cooled syrup over the hot baklava. Allow it to soak for at least 4 hours or overnight for best flavor.
Notes
- For a different flavor, try adding a tablespoon of orange zest to the nut mixture.
- You can substitute pistachios for the walnuts or almonds for a unique twist on traditional baklava.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 15mg