Greek Baklava with Honey Syrup (Print Version)
Layers of crisp phyllo filled with spiced nuts, soaked in sweet honey syrup
# What You'll Need:
→ Nut Filling
01 - 7 oz walnuts, finely chopped
02 - 3.5 oz pistachios, finely chopped
03 - 1.75 oz almonds, finely chopped
04 - 2 tsp ground cinnamon
05 - 1/4 tsp ground cloves
06 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
→ Pastry
07 - 14 oz phyllo dough (about 20 sheets), thawed if frozen
08 - 7 oz unsalted butter, melted
→ Honey Syrup
09 - 8.8 oz granulated sugar
10 - 3/4 cup water
11 - 6.3 oz honey
12 - 1 cinnamon stick
13 - 3 strips lemon peel
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 340°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with a little melted butter.
02 - In a bowl, combine walnuts, pistachios, almonds, cinnamon, cloves, and sugar. Mix well.
03 - Unroll the phyllo dough and cover with a lightly damp cloth to prevent drying out.
04 - Place one sheet of phyllo in the baking dish and brush lightly with melted butter. Repeat with 7 more sheets, brushing each layer with butter (total 8 sheets).
05 - Sprinkle 1/3 of the nut mixture evenly over the phyllo.
06 - Add 4 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each with butter. Sprinkle another 1/3 of the nut mixture.
07 - Add another 4 sheets of phyllo, each brushed with butter. Sprinkle remaining nut mixture.
08 - Finish with the remaining 4 sheets of phyllo, each brushed with butter. Brush the top generously.
09 - Using a sharp knife, cut the assembled baklava into diamond or square shapes.
10 - Bake for 45-50 minutes, until golden and crisp.
11 - While baklava bakes, combine sugar, water, honey, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly; discard cinnamon stick and lemon peel.
12 - As soon as baklava comes out of the oven, slowly pour the warm syrup evenly over it. Allow to cool completely before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast between shatteringly crisp layers and syrup soaked center is pure magic
- It actually tastes better the next day, making it perfect for make ahead entertaining
02 -
- The syrup must be warm, not hot, and the baklava must be hot when you pour, or it won't absorb properly
- Let it cool completely before serving, because the texture transforms as it sits
03 -
- Cutting completely through before baking saves you from the heartbreak of jagged, broken pieces later
- A splash of rose water in the syrup transforms it into something extraordinary