Menu Enter a recipe name, ingredient, keyword...

Baklava

By

Sticky sweet, flaky and nutty, a small slice of baklava goes a long way, especially with a tiny cup of strong coffee. Serve after a mezze feast.

Google Ads
Rate this recipe 3/5 (121 Votes)
Baklava 1 Picture

Ingredients

  • 18 sheets ready-made filo pastry (unwrap and keep under a damp tea-towel until you are ready to use)
  • 225g/8oz unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 225g/8oz mixed pistachios and walnuts, roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • For the syrup
  • 350g/12oz granulated sugar
  • 300ml/10½fl oz water
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp orange blossom water

Details

Level of difficulty Average
Preparation time 30mins
Cooking time 30mins
Cost Average budget

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

Step 2

Grease a 17cm x 28cm (11in x 7in) baking tray with butter.

Step 3

Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan over low heat or in a microwave.

Step 4

Lay 10 sheets of filo pastry, one at a time, into the tray, brushing each sheet with butter before adding the next.

Step 5

In a clean bowl, mix together the nuts, sugar and cardamom and spread the mixture over the pastry in the tray.

Step 6

Layer up the remaining sheets on top of the nut mixture, brushing each sheet with butter, as before.

Step 7

Using a sharp knife, cut a criss-cross pattern into the top layers of the pastry.

Step 8

Place baklava in the preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes, then decrease the oven temperature to 150C/300F/Gas 2 and cook for an additional half hour to 40 minutes, or until the pastry is slightly puffed and golden on top. Do not allow the top to burn. Remove and allow to cool slightly.

Step 9

For the syrup, heat the sugar, water, lemon juice and orange blossom water in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over a medium heat until the sugar has melted and a syrup is formed. (This will take about 20 minutes or so.)

Step 10

Pour the syrup into the slits in the baklava and leave to cool. Cut into small diamond-shaped pieces and serve.

Like these recipes? Then you'll love

Leave a comment about this recipe

Baklava Baklava