Baklava

Baklava is a Middle Eastern pastry of crispy phyllo layers filled with nuts and bound together with butter and honey syrup. The key is brushing each sheet with melted butter so the pastry crisps and browns evenly, then pouring warm syrup over the hot baklava so it soaks in and sweetens every layer.

Ingredients for Baklava

Phyllo dough provides the delicate, paper-thin sheets that crisp and brown. Walnuts and pistachios add nutty flavor and texture to the filling. Butter brushed between each sheet helps the pastry brown and crisps as it bakes. Cinnamon and cloves warm the filling with spice. Honey and sugar dissolve into a syrup that soaks into the hot pastry right after baking. Water makes the syrup, and lemon juice brightens it with acid so it does not taste one-note sweet.

Why This Baklava Works

Phyllo is thin enough that butter soaks through it completely, so every layer crisps and browns instead of staying doughy. Brushing each sheet matters more than the filling because the pastry is what gives baklava its texture.

The filling stays moist because you pour warm syrup over the baklava while it is still hot from the oven. The hot pastry absorbs the syrup quickly, so it soaks all the way through instead of sitting on top. Cutting the baklava into diamonds or squares before baking makes it easier to cut cleanly after it cools, because the syrup will have set and the pastry will be firm.

Mistakes To Avoid

Phyllo that cracks or tears as you unroll it means it thawed too fast or at room temperature instead of in the refrigerator. Thaw it slowly in the fridge overnight, then let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before opening the box. If a sheet tears, use it anyway and overlap the pieces or patch it with butter.

Baklava that stays pale or does not brown means you did not brush butter between every single sheet. Even one unbuttured sheet will not crisp. Brush butter on every layer, including the top, and make sure it reaches all the corners and edges.

Pastry that stays soft and chewy instead of crisp means the oven was not hot enough or the baklava baked for too short a time. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for the full 45 to 50 minutes so the butter browns and the phyllo dries out enough to crispen.

Baklava that does not soak up the syrup means you poured it when the pastry was cool instead of hot. The syrup must go on the moment the baklava comes out of the oven so the heat opens the layers and the syrup soaks in. If you wait, the pastry cools and seals, and the syrup sits on top.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound (450 g) phyllo dough, thawed
• 12 ounces (340 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups walnuts, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups pistachios, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup honey
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush the 9×13 pan with melted butter, coating the bottom and sides.
2. Mix walnuts, pistachios, 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, and cloves in a bowl until combined.
3. Unroll phyllo dough onto a clean, dry work surface. Cover the stack with a barely damp kitchen towel to keep it from drying out.
4. Place one sheet of phyllo in the pan and brush it lightly with melted butter, reaching all the edges and corners. Repeat with 5 more sheets, brushing each one.
5. Sprinkle half the nut mixture evenly over the phyllo. Layer 4 more phyllo sheets on top, brushing each with butter. Sprinkle the remaining nut mixture. Top with the remaining phyllo sheets, about 6 to 8, brushing each one with butter including the very top.
6. Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into 24 pieces (cut the pan in half lengthwise, then make 5 cuts across to form 12 rectangles, then cut each rectangle diagonally to form diamonds). Pour any butter from the pan over the top.
7. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45 to 50 minutes until the phyllo is deep golden brown and crispy when you tap it with a spoon.
8. While the baklava bakes, combine 1 cup honey, 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup water, lemon juice, and vanilla in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 3 to 4 minutes. Do not boil hard. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
9. The moment the baklava comes out of the oven, pour the warm syrup evenly over all the pieces, letting it soak into the cuts. You will hear it sizzle.
10. Let the baklava cool completely at room temperature, at least 2 hours, before serving. The syrup will set and the pastry will firm up as it cools.