Description
This easy baklava recipe delivers a deliciously rich and flaky Middle Eastern dessert made with layers of buttery phyllo dough, a spiced walnut filling, and a sweet honey syrup. Perfect for special occasions or anytime you crave a sweet treat, this baklava features a crisp, golden top and a luscious, syrup-soaked interior.
Ingredients
Scale
Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup pure honey
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Baklava
- 16 ounce package phyllo dough (thawed)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, melted)
- 4 cups walnuts (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare Phyllo Dough: Open the phyllo pastry dough package and cover it with a damp towel to prevent drying out. If necessary, trim the dough sheets to fit your glass baking dish.
- Grease Baking Dish: Lightly grease a 13 x 9-inch or larger glass baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter and set it aside.
- Make Syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, water, honey, and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat while stirring often until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low and simmer without stirring for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool.
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven temperature to 325°F (163°C) to preheat.
- Prepare Nut Filling: In a medium bowl, mix the finely chopped walnuts with ground cinnamon until evenly blended.
- Layer Phyllo Sheets: Place one sheet of phyllo dough into the bottom of the buttered dish and brush it with melted butter. Repeat this process with 9 more sheets for a total of 10 layers.
- Add First Nut Layer: Evenly spread ¾ cup of the walnut mixture over the top phyllo layer.
- Layer More Phyllo Sheets: Place 5 more sheets of phyllo dough on top of the nut layer, brushing each sheet with melted butter as you go.
- Add Second Nut Layer: Sprinkle another ¾ cup of the walnut mixture evenly over the phyllo sheets.
- Repeat Layers: Continue layering the walnut mixture and phyllo sheets alternately until all the nut mixture is used. Finish with a top layer of 10 phyllo sheets, brushing each sheet generously with melted butter.
- Score Baklava: Brush the entire top layer with melted butter, and using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into 1½-inch strips, then slice diagonally in both directions to form diamond shapes.
- Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 1 hour and 25 minutes, or until the pastry turns golden brown and crisp.
- Add Syrup: Once removed from the oven, immediately pour the cooled syrup evenly over the hot baklava to soak in.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the baklava to cool completely at room temperature. For the best flavor and texture, cover and let it soak overnight before serving.
Notes
- Keep phyllo dough covered with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out while working.
- Use unsalted butter to control the saltiness of the baklava.
- Cutting the baklava before baking helps the syrup penetrate evenly after baking.
- Letting the baklava rest overnight allows the flavors to meld and the syrup to fully soak into the layers for optimal taste.
- Be careful when handling phyllo layers; they are delicate and can tear easily.
