Baklava

Ingredients

  • 16 sheets (1 package frozen filo/phyllo dough, defrosted)
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) melted unsalted butter

Syrup

  • 325g (1 1/2 cups) sugar
  • 165g (3/4 cup) water
  • 100g (1/4 cup) honey
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 tsp orange blossom water (or sub some orange and lemon peel)

Nut Mixture

  • 260g (2 1/2 cups) walnut halves
  • 150g (1 cup) shelled pistachios
  • (1 1/2 tsp) cinnamon

Method

Prep

  • Defrost philo dough
  • Melt butter

Make

  • Create nut mixture in a food processor
  • Add in the following layers (bottom to top):
    • Butter the pan
    • 6 sheets of dough (drip in butter every 2 sheets)
    • 1/3 nuts
    • 2 sheets of philo (both buttered)
    • 1/3 nuts
    • 2 sheets of philo (both buttered)
    • 1/3 nuts
    • 6 sheets of philo (butter every 2 sheets)
    • brush rest of the butter over the top
  • cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour

Bake and make syrup

  • Preheat oven to 350°F
  • Cut into diamond pattern shape
  • Bake at 350°F. for about 1 hour
    • While waiting, combine syrup ingredients in a pan and whisk over high heat
    • Once it boils, give it a stir and turn off the heat
    • Add the vanilla extract
    • Remove the cloves
  • Once it’s done, remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes
  • Ladle syrup over all of the pastry

References

Notes

  • 460g nuts