Baklava Phyllo Nut Layers (Printable)
Flaky phyllo layered with walnuts, pistachios, and almonds, soaked in sweet cinnamon-honey syrup
# What You'll Need:
→ Pastry and Filling
01 - 1 lb phyllo dough (about 18-20 sheets)
02 - 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
03 - 2 cups walnuts, finely chopped
04 - 1 cup pistachios, finely chopped
05 - 3/4 cup almonds, finely chopped
06 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
→ Syrup
08 - 1 cup water
09 - 1 1/2 cups sugar
10 - 2 tbsp lemon juice
11 - 2 tbsp honey
12 - 1 cinnamon stick
13 - 1 strip orange peel
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush a 9x13 inch baking dish with melted butter.
02 - Combine walnuts, pistachios, almonds, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Mix thoroughly.
03 - Unroll phyllo dough and cover with a damp towel to prevent drying while working.
04 - Place 8 sheets of phyllo in the prepared dish, brushing each sheet generously with melted butter before adding the next.
05 - Sprinkle about one-third of the nut mixture evenly over the phyllo base.
06 - Add 4 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter. Spread half of the remaining nuts over the layer.
07 - Add 4 more phyllo sheets, buttering each one. Sprinkle the final layer of nuts evenly.
08 - Layer remaining phyllo sheets on top, brushing each sheet with melted butter.
09 - Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamond or square shapes before baking.
10 - Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
11 - Combine water, sugar, lemon juice, honey, cinnamon stick, and orange peel in a saucepan. Bring to boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and orange peel, let cool slightly.
12 - Immediately pour hot syrup evenly over baked baklava. Allow to cool completely before serving to ensure full syrup absorption.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The contrast between impossibly crisp layers and syrupy soaked pockets is absolutely addictive
- Your kitchen will fill with the most incredible cinnamon and honey aromas
02 -
- The syrup must be cool and the baklava hot when you pour it, or it won't absorb properly
- Cutting through all layers before baking is essential, trying to cut after makes a mess
03 -
- Butter every single sheet of phyllo, even the ones you think you can skip
- Let the baklava cool completely in the pan before trying to remove pieces