Full disclosure: My baby daddy is Greek and I’ve never made baklava before. This was my first attempt and I made two aesthetically fatal errors – I didn’t grind the nuts into a powder and I froze the phyllo dough prior to making the recipe. BIG MISTAKE. I received this dessert recipe from Rad Mom, Rachel Leykind (who I know makes it perfectly!) and while it doesn’t look like it should, it tastes amazing. I guess it just goes to show that in baking, things don’t have to look exactly how they should to be delicious. So, what’s the takeaway from all this? Follow instructions carefully when making baklava. I can only imagine the things my Greek in-laws would say…..

Photo Credit & Food Styling: Leah Nolan
Juicy Baklava
  • Prep time: 20min
  • Cook time: 1h
  • Total time: 1h 20min

Full disclosure: My baby daddy is Greek and I’ve never made baklava before. This was my first attempt and I made two aesthetically fatal errors – I didn’t grind the nuts into a powder and I froze the phyllo dough prior to making the recipe.

ingredients

Phyllo Dough Pastry

  • 1 Pound Walnuts, Coarsely Ground
  • 1 Pound Pecans, Coarsely Ground
  • ½ Cup Sugar
  • 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
  • ½ Pound Melted Butter

For the Syrup:

  • 1 Cinnamon Stick
  • 4 Cups Sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Honey
  • 3 Cups Water
  • Juice from ½ Lemon
instructions
  1. Turn the stove on high heat and place all of ingredients for the syrup in a pot. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down halfway and allow to cook for 20 minutes. Set the syrup aside to cool.
  2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  3. Mix the ground nuts, sugar and cinnamon in a blow.
  4. Brush a 9x14 pan with butter and place six to eight sheets of phyllo dough in the bottom, brushing each layer with butter.
  5. Sprinkle one cup of the nut mixture onto the phyllo. Place three more sheets of phyllo dough on top, buttering each layer and then add one cup of the nut mixture.
  6. Repeat this until all of the nut mixture is gone and finish with six to eight sheets of phyllo dough on top.
  7. Brush the top with butter and cut diagonally to form diamond shapes.
  8. Bake for one hour and cover with the cooled syrup. Allow the baklava to sit overnight before serving!
notes

Author: Glitter and Bubbles

Adapted: Rachel Leykind