Baklava Recipe

Photo by NatashasKitchen.com

Store-bought baklava has nothing on this and trust me, I’ve been around the block when shopping for baklava. This baklava recipe is well loved wherever it goes and it is definitely a reader and family favorite!

You will love the hint of mellow lemony flavor which offsets the sweetness and compliments the cinnamon. It’s truly delicious.

Tips on Ingredients for Baklava:

You will need 1 (16 oz) package of phyllo (fillo) dough*; thawed according to package instructions *Fillo dough should be paper thin – even thinner than paper. Each package has 2 rolls with a total of 40 sheets. Do not use thick sheets of fillo dough for this recipe.

Also, don’t skimp on the butter or any part of the syrup (lemon juice, water and honey) since the recipe needs it to moisten and soften the sheets. Otherwise the baklava layers can end up dry and won’t stay together easily.

The chocolate is optional but a nice touch to fancy up a tray of baklava.

How to Make the Best Baklava (See Video Below):

Any baklava is a little tedious to make, but I’ve shared all of my best tips and advise to ensure you are successful in making yours. You will love that this recipe can be made several days in advance of your shindig and keeps beautifully at room temperature for at least a week.

Watch Baklava video tutorial here.

Ingredients

• 16 oz phyllo dough thawed by package instructions
• 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter 10 oz or 2 1/2 sticks, melted
• 1 lb walnuts, finely chopped (about 4 cups)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice juice of 1/2 lemon
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup honey
• Melted chocolate chips & chopped walnuts for garnish optional

Instructions

Prep:

1. Thaw phyllo dough by package instructions (this is best done overnight in the fridge, then place it on the counter for 1 hr before starting your recipe to bring it to room temp).
2. Trim phyllo dough to fit your baking dish. My phyllo package had 2 rolls with a total of 40 sheets that measured 9x14 so I had to trim them slightly. You can trim one stack at a time then cover with a damp towel to keep from drying out.
3. Butter the bottom and sides of a 13x9 non-stick baking pan.

Start with your honey sauce (which needs time to cool as baklava bakes).

1. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup honey, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil over med/high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then reduce heat to med/low and boil additional 4 min without stirring. Remove from heat and let syrup cool while preparing baklava.

How to make Baklava: Preheat Oven to 325˚F.

1. Pulse walnuts 10 times in a food process or until coarsely ground/ finely chopped. In a medium bowl, stir together: 4 cups finely chopped walnuts and 1 tsp cinnamon.

2. Place 10 phyllo sheets into baking pan one at a time, brushing each sheet with butter once it's in the pan before adding the next (i.e. place phyllo sheet into pan, brush the top with butter, place next phyllo sheet in pan, butter the top, etc. etc.). Keep remaining phyllo covered with a damp towel at all times. Spread about 1/5 of nut mixture (about 3/4 cup) over phyllo dough.

3. Add 5 buttered sheets of phyllo, then another layer of nuts. Repeat x 4. Finish off with 10 layers of buttered phyllo sheets. Brush the very top with butter.
   • Here's the order of the Baklava Layers:
     10 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture,
     5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture,
     5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture,
     5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture,
     5 buttered phyllo sheets, 3/4 cup nut mixture
     10 buttered phyllo sheets and butter the top.
4. Cut pastry into 1 1/2" wide strips, then cut diagonally to form diamond shapes. Bake at 325˚F for 1 hour and 15 min or until tops are golden brown.
   
5. Remove from oven and immediately spoon cooled syrup evenly over the hot baklava (you'll hear it sizzle). This will ensure that it stays crisp rather than soggy. Let baklava cool completely, uncovered and at room temp. For best results, let baklava sit 4-6 hours or overnight at room temperature for the syrup to penetrate and soften the layers. Garnish baklava with finely chopped nuts or drizzle with melted chocolate. Store at room temp, covered with a tea towel for 1 to 2 weeks.

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