Classic Baklava
Baklava is a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey. It is a staple of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, cherished for its perfect balance of crunch and sweetness. This recipe uses a combination of walnuts, almonds, and pistachios for a nutty filling, with a fragrant syrup infused with lemon and cinnamon to bring all the flavors together.
Ingredients
- 300g Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Sugar
- 250ml Water
Method
30m1h 30m
- Preheat your oven to 180°C.
- Butter the bottom and sides of a 23x33cm baking pan.
- Toss together the chopped nuts, sugar, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
- Place a sheet of filo in the prepared pan and brush with melted butter. Repeat with half of the filo sheets, brushing each with melted butter. Spread the nut mixture over the filo layer.
- Continue layering the remaining filo sheets, brushing each with butter, until all are used.
- Using a sharp knife, cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan.
- Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
- While baklava is baking, make the syrup. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add lemon juice, cinnamon sticks, and clove. Simmer for about 10 minutes, then add honey and simmer for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and discard cinnamon sticks and c
- Remove baklava from oven and immediately pour the hot syrup over it. Let cool completely before serving.
Notes
For best results, let the baklava sit for several hours or overnight before serving, which allows the syrup to soak through the layers. For a variation, try using different types of nuts or adding a bit of orange zest to the syrup for a citrusy twist.