Would you like to learn how to make the popular Mediterranean dessert baklava? It is a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of fillo filled with chopped walnuts or pistachio and held together with syrup or honey. Impress your guests following this step-by-step recipe.
Don't you just love it? The making of this rich, popular Mediterranean dessert might seem daunting, but it really is a simple process.
Since I never enjoyed baking as much as cooking I made my first baklava when I was well into my 40's. I don't know why I was so intimidated by it, it's not at all as difficult as I thought it would be. So don't make the same mistake and wait. Make it now! If I can do it, you can do it too.
What is baklava?
This is a sweet dessert with layers of fillo a.k.a. phyllo pastry sheets filled with chopped or ground walnuts and held together with lemony syrup. There's nothing better than homemade baklava.
The easiest way to prepare it is in a large pan (9x13") assembled much like lasagna and cut into squares or diamonds, although you can form it into pocket shapes, triangles, and even roll them into tight ropes.
Even though there are different kinds of baklava - some are filled with pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds, coconut, chocolate, with fruit, with beer (yes), and poppy or sesame seeds, it all comes down to filled pastry sheets drenched in syrup. And sometimes placed on top of a cheesecake, ha. I had to ๐
Obviously, the syrup can differ too. To the base, you can add flavors like lemon, orange juice, honey, rose water, or spices like cinnamon or cloves.
Some very skilled people make the filo dough from scratch, much like the dough I used in the making of the burek-meat pie but stretched even thinner. I never got that ambitious so I stick to the store-bought fillo dough.
The most popular brands are The Fillo Factory and Athens Fillo Dough. You can find it at any local store and even at Whole Foods or online.
Origin:
Many associate this dessert with Greece. The history of it is not well documented but the masses seem to agree baklava was first developed in the Ottoman Empire, now Turkey.
Since they ruled for centuries over parts of Europe, Asia, the Caucasus, and Africa, baklava consequently stayed and is to date a popular and favorite dessert of the Mediterranean, The Balkans, and the Middle East.
Each country has added something unique to their recipe, hence the many variations. Some recipes place the filling right in the middle of the pastry sheets, rather than layering them intermittently and others, like the Greek version, yield the syrup and their baklava is crisp and flaky.
All things considered, I have never tasted bad baklava.
Different ways to cut it
As mentioned above, there are different shapes you can cut it in, but we will stick with the basics for now. Once you feel comfortable with making this dessert you can invent your own unique cut. Always cut it before baking!
- Square Cut: First, cut vertically into strips then horizontally, or vice versa
- Triangle Cut: First, cut vertically into strips, then horizontally, and finally diagonally
- Diamond Cut: First, cut vertically into strips, then diagonally
- Star Cut (round pan): First, slice it in half. Second, cut each half in half, then each quarter in half until you have an octagon. Next, cut each octagon section parallel with a left line. Finally, cut each octagon section parallel with a right line (basically making diamond cuts).
Ingredients:
You really need just a few simple ingredients:
- Fillo sheets (filo or phyllo)
- Walnuts (or pistachio or combination of both)
- Butter (or oil)
- Sugar
- Lemon
- Cinnamon
How to make it:
*Details and the printable recipe are available at the bottom of this post.
- First, make the syrup: Boil sugar, lemon slices, and water until sugar dissolves and the mixture is syrupy about 10-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Next, make the filling: ground walnuts in a food processor. You can also use a rotary grater if you have one. Combine walnuts with cinnamon, cardamom if using, and sugar.
- Assemble: Layer a few sheets of buttered fillo in a pan on top of each other and sprinkle with walnut mixture. Repeat until filling is used up. Cut the unbaked baklava into squares or diamonds all the way to the bottom of the pan.
- Bake: Bake in 350 F preheated oven for 50-60 minutes or until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and immediately spoon syrup over it. Cool before serving.
Recipe Tips:
- Variations: Substitute half of the walnuts with pistachios.
- Use ghee instead of butter.
- Add 2 tablespoons of honey to the syrup.
- Add 1 tablespoon rose water to the cooked syrup.
- Always pour cold syrup over hot pastry.
- If using Fillo Factory fillo, layer 3 sheets on the bottom and top as they are a bit thicker than other brands.
Liked this recipe? Leave a โญโญโญโญโญ rating and/or a review in the comments section. Your feedback is always appreciated! Stay in touch through Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for my email list below too!
Baklava Recipe
Ingredients
Syrup
- 3 cups sugar
- 3 cups water
- 1 lemon, sliced
Instructions
- First, make the syrup. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, lemon slices, and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sugar dissolves and the mixture is syrupy about 10-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Butter the bottom and sides of a pan.
- Place 1 sheet of dough in prepared baking pan; using a pastry brush, butter thoroughly. Repeat with 4 more sheets of fillo, laying each on top of the other. Sprinkle with โ cup of walnut filling. Add two sheets of fillo dough, buttering each sheet, then sprinkle with โ cup of nuts. Repeat until filling is used up, finishing with 5 sheets of fillo dough on top. So it goes like this: 5 buttered sheets + filling, 2 buttered sheets + filling, repeat..., finish with 5 buttered sheets.
- Using a sharp knife cut the unbaked baklava into squares or diamonds all the way to the bottom of the pan. Pour remaining butter over the whole baklava and lightly sprinkle the top of pastry with cold water. This inhibits the pastry from curling.
- Finally, bake baklava for 50-60 minutes or until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and immediately spoon syrup over it.
- Let cool for at least 4 hours.
Notes
- Variations: Substitute half of the walnuts with pistachios.
- Use butter ghee instead of butter.
- Add 2 tablespoons honey to the syrup.
- Add 1 tablespoon rose water to the cooked syrup.
- Always pour cold syrup over hot baklava.
- If using Fillo Factory fillo, layer 3 sheets on the bottom and top as they are a bit thicker than other brands'.
Judee@gluten free A-Z Blog says
I made Baklava once but it didn't look as beautiful as yours. Thank you for the cutting patterns. I am pinning this in case I ever make it again.
My mother in law is the pro- she is 92 and still makes a mean baklava. Thanks for the great post
Jas says
I'm sure your baklava tasted great. It gets prettier with the time - practice makes perfect (or almost perfect in my case, lol). I'm impressed with your MIL. Wow! I hope I'll be still baking baklava when I'm 92. Heck, I hope I'll be still alive, ha!
Molly says
Mmm I love Baklava
Mollyx
Jas says
I don't know anybody who doesn't ๐
rue says
Hi Jas ๐
I've never had baklava, but it looks good! I might try my hand at it ๐
I hope you're enjoying your summer. It's been hot as hades here.
Oh and no, I don't think having a scarf collection is weird at all ๐
xo,
rue
Jas says
LOL, Rue, that makes me feel better ๐
It actually cooled down quite a bit here - I need my fleece in the evenings!
Stay cool and don't turn the oven on for the baklava, that might not help, lol.
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
I love baklava - never tried making it though - Thanks for sharing on the What's for Dinner link up~
Jas says
Give it a try, Helen! It's not hard at all!
Mia says
Love it! Thank you for sharing!
Jas says
Thanks, Mia.
Sue Lau says
Gorgeous dessert! Thanks for joining me in this event!
Jas says
Thank you for organizing it, Sue! It was fun.
Michelle says
Oh no here we go again. And I actually prepared myself before coming to visit and had breakfast first to keep the hungry wolf at bay. It didn't help I'm afraid ๐ I'm still try eat my laptop every time. You're recipes are always so delectable Jas, how do you do it?
Jas says
Maybe you should just stop visiting me, Michelle, before you sue me for the computer damage, LOL. I appreciate your love, my friend!
Camilla @ Culinary Adventures says
I can't wait to try this! I love bakava though I've never made it myself. Thanks for the inspiration.
Jas says
You're welcome, Camilla! Hope you'll give it a try :). Thanks for stopping in!
Mary says
Oh yum! One of my all time favorites! I try to not make it because I am capable of eating the whole pan all by myself. And you know you cannot blame me!! The only thing we do differently is we also add a bit of cinnamon and cloves to the syrup. And we put cloves on top of the diamond shapes.
Jas says
Cloves, huh? Interesting! I actually added a little bit of cinnamon to the nuts, Mary, which I usually don't do. I like the hint of it. Each year we go to a Greek Festival here in our little town and I see many different baklava shapes and other sweets similar to baklava. They all have nuts in them and kind of taste the same, lol. Yummy, though!
Ann says
Mmmmm...yummmm! I'm mesmerized by the different cutting styles you have there. The star one is the best looking one. Somehow I think I'm not going to be able to cut so nicely and would massacre the baklava!
Jas says
I highly doubt that, Ann! ๐
Mrs Shoes says
That star diagram alone is a kicker!
Jas says
๐ Thank you, Mrs Shoes!
Karen says
I can't wait to try this! Me and phyllo have an odd relationship, but all of your instructions are so helpful!
Jas says
Show the phyllo who's the boss, Karen! LOL Thanks for stopping in!
Carlee says
Your baklava is beautiful!! For some reason I am intimidated as well, but I may just take you at your word and give it a go!
Jas says
Do it! I'm using filo for our apple week ๐
Amanda says
Jas this looks delicious! Baklava is one of my favourites but I've never made it myself. Time to have a go now. Thank you ๐
Jas says
Thank you, Amanda. It gets easier with each time you make it ๐
Wendy says
Your baklava is gorgeous. You should be very proud. I really love the presentation of the star shaped cut.
Jas says
Thank you so much, Wendy ๐
Caroline says
I LOVE baklava - I have lovely memories making it with my mum (and enjoying it on trips to Greece and around)
Jas says
Hi, Caroline! I LOVE baklava a little too much too. My waist can vouch for that, lol. Growing up I had all these family members making it for me so I didn't need to learn how to make it myself until much much later.