Description
A rich, sweet, and flaky baklava recipe with 30 layers of phyllo dough, filled with nuts and drenched in a honey-lemon syrup.
Ingredients
1 pound phyllo dough, thawed
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
3 cups mixed nuts (walnuts, pistachios, almonds), finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Syrup Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water
1 cup honey
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
-
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Prepare the Nuts: In a bowl, combine the chopped nuts, cinnamon, and cloves. Mix well and set aside.
- Layer the Phyllo Dough: Brush the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking pan with melted butter.
- Place one sheet of phyllo dough in the pan, then brush with butter. Repeat this process with 7 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each layer with butter.
- Add the Nut Filling: Spread the nut mixture evenly over the layered phyllo dough.
- Continue Layering: Layer the remaining phyllo dough, 8 sheets at a time, brushing each layer with melted butter.
- Cut the Baklava: Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamond or square shapes.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Make the Syrup: While the baklava is baking, prepare the syrup. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and honey. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and vanilla extract.
- Pour the Syrup: Once the baklava is out of the oven, immediately pour the hot syrup evenly over the hot baklava.
- Cool: Let the baklava cool completely before serving. This allows the syrup to soak into the layers.
Notes
1. Keep phyllo dough covered with a damp towel while working to prevent drying.
2. Adjust nut mixture to your preference (pecans, hazelnuts, etc.).
3. Add orange zest to the nut mixture or syrup for a citrusy twist.
4. Serve with vanilla ice cream or Greek yogurt.
5. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Carbohydrates: 40mg
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
Keywords: baklava, phyllo dough, nuts, honey, dessert, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, homemade, easy baklava