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Baklava is a layered phyllo pastry filled with chopped nuts and drenched in a fragrant honey syrup. It’s a beloved dessert with regional variations throughout the Middle East, each featuring different combinations of nuts, spices, and flavorings.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound walnuts (toasted and cooled)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 package phyllo dough (found in the freezer section of most supermarkets)
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter (melted)
- For the syrup:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup honey
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: cinnamon stick and orange rind
Instructions:
- Toast the Walnuts:
- Arrange the walnuts in a single layer on a parchment-covered baking sheet.
- Bake until fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes. Let them cool until just warm to the touch.
- Make the Filling:
- In a food processor, combine the toasted walnuts, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.
- Process until the mixture looks like sand and small pebbles.
- Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and set aside.
- Make the Syrup:
- In a small saucepan, combine granulated sugar, water, honey, lemon juice, salt, and optional cinnamon stick and orange rind.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the temperature to low and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
- Let the syrup cool until you’re ready to use it.
- Assemble the Baklava:
- Lay the phyllo on your work surface.
- Trim the sheets into 8 x 12-inch rectangles to fit the baking dish.
- Brush melted butter on the bottom of the pan.
- Add the phyllo, 2 sheets at a time, drizzling with butter after every 2 sheets.
- On the 14th sheet, add 1/3 of the walnut filling, spreading it evenly.
- Repeat the layers: 6 more phyllo sheets, another third of the filling, and so on.
- Finish with 14 more layers of phyllo, not buttering the top layer.
- Cut the Baklava:
- Using a very sharp knife, cut the baklava all the way through the layers.
- You can keep it simple and make 24 squares or cut each square into a diamond shape.
- If any butter remains, spoon it into the cut lines.
Enjoy your homemade baklava! It’s buttery, crisp, flaky, and super-sweet — everything you could want in this delightful Middle Eastern treat.
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