Beautiful Baklava is a Mediterranean recipe that most people associate with Greece. This beautiful sweet sticky dish is simple yet packed with texture and flavours. The Greek tend to use Walnuts in Baklava while the Pistachios and Almonds are used in Turkey, Iran and Lebanon. However, pecans and hazelnuts are good substitutes. Serve as a dessert for a perfect way to finish a meal or as a snack to keep you going. When serving try a scoop of ice cream and a few additional crushed nuts or a few slices of fruit. Alternatively, try serving with an espresso coffee, mint tea or Chai tea for contrast.
Only 4 ingredients to make beautiful baklava, filo/phyllo, nuts, cinnamon and butter which form the body of the dish. The remaining four ingredients of water, sugar, honey and vanilla extract are the superb sticky sauce.
Due to Baklava’s sugar, store in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks. This means it can be made in advance. If you like it crispy then keep it in larder or if soft/chewy then store it in the fridge. Baklava can be frozen by wrapping it in a layer of greaseproof paper and then two tight layers of foil. I normally then put it in a freezer bag for belt and braces. Just remember to thaw it overnight in the fridge.
Beautiful Baklava
Ingredients
- 450 g filo pastry phyllo
- 450 g walnuts pistachios/almonds
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 230 g butter
- 235 ml water
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 168 g honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Previous to 175C/350F/Gas Mark 5.
- Chop up the nuts or use a pestle and mortar or food processor to get the size you want. Add the cinnamon and stir to combine.
- Add the butter to a microwave and heat until melted. This will be used to brush over each piece of filo/phyllo pastry.230 g butter
- Using a baking tray 9 by 13 inches place on a flat surface and butter the base and sides well to prevent sticking.
- Open the filo dough and cut into half. Place under a damp kitchen towel to prevent them drying out.450 g filo pastry
- Place 2 pieces at a time into the base of the baking tray buttering as you go. Repeat until you have 8 layers of buttered filo pastry.
- Generously add the nut and cinnamon mixture over the Philo pastry topping it off with another 2 layers of buttered filo. Then repeat adding the filo, buttering as your go until you have a further 8 layers of pastry.450 g walnuts, 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- It is at this stage the I recommend you cut the pastry as it makes it so much easy to remove after cooking.
- Pop in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden brown.
- Once the baklava is in the oven, add the water and sugar to a small pan over a medium high heat and bring to a boil until the sugar has melted. Stir throughout but don’t splash yourself.235 ml water, 200 g granulated sugar
- Once boiling, add the honey and vanilla extract and reduce the temperature until it is simmering. Simmer for 15 – 20 minutes stirring occasionally.168 g honey, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Once the baklava is golden brown and crispy, remove from the oven and pour the sauce over straight away so it gets absorbed all the way through.
- Leave to cool and then remove from the tray and tuck in.
