Baklava Recipe
Make Baklava Recipe in just 5h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Syrup
Filling
Phyllo & Butter
Method
Syrup
- 1
Make syrup
Combine 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup honey, cinnamon stick and cloves in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice, remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Discard cinnamon stick and cloves before using.
Filling
- 2
Prepare nut mixture
Finely chop walnuts and pistachios (or pulse briefly in a food processor) until they resemble coarse sand—avoid turning into nut butter. Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon cardamom (if using), and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Mix thoroughly and set aside at room temperature.
Phyllo & Assembly
- 3
Prep phyllo and pan
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly brush a 9x13-inch baking pan with melted butter. Unroll thawed phyllo and cover with a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying.
- 4
- 5
Add filling
Evenly distribute about half of the nut mixture over the buttered phyllo layers, pressing lightly to form an even layer.
- 6
- 7
Score and cut
Using a sharp knife, score the assembled baklava into diamonds or squares all the way through to the pan bottom. Cutting before baking makes portions easier and allows syrup to penetrate later.
- 8
Bake
Bake in the preheated oven for 45–55 minutes, until the phyllo is golden brown and crisp. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even color.
- 9
Syrup soak
When baklava is finished, remove from oven and immediately pour the cooled syrup evenly over the hot baklava, making sure to get syrup into the scored cuts. Let baklava rest at room temperature for at least 4 hours (ideally overnight) to absorb syrup and set.
- 10
Serve
Once fully absorbed and cooled, gently separate pieces along the scored lines and transfer to a serving platter. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.