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Baklava

This recipe prepares classic layered baklava featuring spiced nuts, buttered phyllo dough, and a sweet honey-sugar syrup infused with cinnamon and orange. It requires careful layering, precise baking in two stages, and a significant resting period for the syrup to fully absorb, resulting in a rich, crispy, and fragrant dessert.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 10 hours
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine Mediterranean
Calories 6350.3 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Spice Grinder Or mortar and pestle
  • 1 Food Processor
  • 1 13x9 inch Baking Pan Metal is preferred for even heating
  • 1 Pastry Brush
  • 1 Saucepan 4-quart size

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1 5-inch piece cinnamon stick, broken into 2 to 3 pieces or 2 teaspoons ground
  • 15 to 20 whole allspice berries
  • 6 ounces blanched almonds
  • 6 ounces raw or roasted walnuts
  • 6 ounces raw or roasted pistachio
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon rose water
  • 1 pound phyllo dough thawed
  • 8 ounces clarified unsalted butter melted
  • 1 1/4 cups honey
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 2-inch piece fresh orange peel

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Place the cinnamon stick and whole allspice into a spice grinder and grind.
  • Place the almonds, walnuts, pistachios, sugar and freshly ground spices into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, but not pasty or powdery, approximately 15 quick pulses. Set aside.
  • Combine the water and rose water in a small spritz bottle and set aside.
  • Trim the sheets of phyllo to fit the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch metal pan. Brush the bottom and sides of the pan with butter; lay down a sheet of phyllo and brush with butter. Repeat this step 9 more times for a total of 10 sheets of phyllo. Top with 1/3 of the nut mixture and spread thinly. Spritz thoroughly with the rose water. Layer 6 more sheets of phyllo with butter in between each of them, followed by another third of the nuts and spritz with rose water. Repeat with another 6 sheets of phyllo, butter, remaining nuts, and rose water. Top with 8 sheets of phyllo brushing with butter in between each sheet. Brush the top generously with butter. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and cut into 28 squares. Return pan to the oven and continue to bake for another 30 minutes. Remove pan from the oven, place on a cooling rack, and cool for 2 hours before adding the syrup.
  • Make the syrup during the last 30 minutes of cooling. Combine the honey, water, sugar, cinnamon stick and orange peel in a 4-quart saucepan and set over high heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Once boiling, boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and discard the orange peel and cinnamon stick.
  • After the baklava has cooled for 2 hours, re-cut the entire pan following the same lines as before. Pour the hot syrup evenly over the top of the baklava, allowing it to run into the cuts and around the edges of the pan. Allow the pan to sit, uncovered until completely cool. Cover and store at room temperature for at least 8 hours and up to overnight before serving. Store, covered, at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Notes

Ensure your phyllo dough is completely thawed and handled gently to prevent tearing. Keep unused sheets covered with a damp towel while assembling to prevent drying. Clarified butter is essential for achieving crispy layers; whole butter contains water which can make the phyllo soggy. Do not over-process the nuts; you want texture, not a paste. Pouring the hot syrup over the cooled baklava is key for optimal absorption. The long resting period after adding syrup is crucial for the flavors to meld and the texture to set.