Homemade Baklava recipe
A Greek-ish version, adapted from The Food-Dee.
Ingredients
For the syrup
- 225 g Brown sugar
- 300 g White sugar
- 125 g Honey
- 375 g Water
- 2 Cinnamon stick
- Zest of 1 lemon, removed with a peeler
- 1 Tbsp Lemon juice
For the baklava pastry
- 250 g Clarified Butter
- 400 g Walnuts
- 100 g Sugar or (1/2 C)
- 1 Tbsp Ground cinnamon
- 1 box Frozen phyllo dough, thawed
Instructions
Make the syrup
- Combine all the syrup ingredients in a saucepan and heat, stirring with a silicone spatula. Bring to a boil.
- Temp the syrup with your Thermapen ONE. When the syrup reaches 225°F (107°C) (adjusted for elevation), remove it from heat and let it cool.
Make the baklava pastry
- While the syrup cools, make the pastry.
- Put the nuts, sugar, and cinnamon in a food processor and process until fairly fine.
- Lay out your phyllo and cut it so that it will fit in your pan. We made a large batch on a baking sheet and used two sheets to cover the bottom, but cut them so that they fit width-wise. If using a half sheet tray or another dish for baking, adjust your phyllo as needed. Set aside enough sheets of dough to have 8 layers of dough on top.
- Brush the bottom of the pan with clarified butter and lay down one layer of phyllo. Use a brush to butter it, and lay on another. Do this until you have 8 layers of phyllo dough with butter between each one. This is the base of your pastry.
- Scatter a third of the nut mixture over the surface of the dough. Spread it evenly over the whole surface.
- Add another layer of phyllo, butter it, put on another layer, and butter it. Now add half the remaining nuts.
- Add two more layers of dough, each with butter between, and add the rest of the nut filling.
- Put on the top of the pastry by layering on the reserved sheets of dough, each with butter between, until the top is 8 layers thick. Pour on any unused butter.
- Put the pastry in the refrigerator for 45 minutes for the butter to solidify a little. While the pastry firms, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C)
- Remove the pastry from the fridge and cut your desired shape pieces using the tip of a sharp knife.
- Bake your baklava for 30–50 minutes. (Use a timer to keep track of it!) When the baklava is golden brown and gorgeous looking, it is done.
- Remove the baklava from the oven and strain the syrup over the top of it. Allow the baklava to cool and absorb the syrup for at least 4 hours, but overnight is better.
- Plate and serve your baklava to your adoring family and friends.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!