Baklava

Please welcome Simply Recipes guest author Garrett McCord who brought us some of the best baklava we’ve ever tasted. ~Elise

Have I ever mentioned that I’m a baklava addict? It’s true, I have a problem and should be taken to the Betty Crocker Clinic so I can get help. Last year I bought a 30 serving pan of the stuff, intent on bringing it to work to share. Four hours later the entire pan was gone and I was a sticky mess. As such, it was only a matter of time before I learned to make my own.

Baklava is a delicious phyllo pastry popular in Middle Eastern countries. Its supposed origins are Turkish, dating to the Byzantine Empire (or even further), though many cultures claim it for their own. Many Greek and Lebanese restaurants serve it, and it is now a featured dessert of several former Ottoman countries.

 

In baklava, layers of crisp phyllo dough alternate with a sugary spiced nut mixture, and the whole thing is then soaked in fragrant sweet syrup made with honey, lemon and cinnamon. It’s an exotic and decadent treat to be sure.

The recipe can be a bit time consuming, and isn’t really a first-time baker’s recipe, but if you can put together a cake well enough on your own then this is a good next step in your baking education.

The tissue paper-thin phyllo dough is fragile and breaks easily if not handled properly, but the end product is forgiving so don’t fret if it all falls apart. My first time I just made a mess of dried out phyllo and butter and the baklava tasted wonderful regardless.

Baklava Recipe

Ingredients

For the baklava:

• 1 lb. of chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, or pistachios are best, or use a combination of them)
• 1 lb of phyllo dough
• 1 cup of butter, melted
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1/3 teaspoon of ground cloves

For the syrup:

• 1 cup of water
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 cinnamon stick

• Finely ground pistachios for garnish (optional)

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