Chef notes
No Greek meal is complete without baklava. The sweet treat is made with layers of phyllo and a spiced nut mixture filling. Right when it comes out of the oven, it's then topped with honey, which creates the chewy texture everyone loves.
Technique tip: Baklava is best enjoyed within a few days of making, as the phyllo dough tends to soften over time.
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely chopped pistachios
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 pinch ground clove
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1½ cups honey
- 1 cup water
- 1½ teaspoons orange blossom water
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 (1-pound) package phyllo dough
- 1½ cups clarified butter
Preparation
For the filling:
In a bowl, combine the chopped pistachios, sliced almonds, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom and a pinch of ground clove. Mix well and set aside.
For the syrup:
In a saucepan, combine granulated sugar, honey and water. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orange blossom water and lemon juice. Let the syrup cool.
To assemble:
1.Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2.Brush a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with melted clarified butter.
3.Place a sheet of phyllo dough in the dish, brush with butter and repeat, layering about 8 sheets.
4.Sprinkle a thin layer of the baklava filling over the phyllo layers.
5.Continue layering phyllo and filling until all the filling is used. Top with about 8 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each with butter.
6.Use a sharp knife to cut the baklava into diamond or square shapes.
7.Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
8.Once the baklava is out of the oven, immediately pour the cooled syrup over it, ensuring it covers the entire surface. Allow the baklava to cool and absorb the syrup for a few hours or overnight.
9.Serve the baklava at room temperature and enjoy the delightful layers of nutty and syrup-soaked pastry.
