Brush the bottom and sides of with the melted butter. A soggy baklava is unavoidable, but the key to avoiding one is to brush the butter on well, to completely cool the baklava before serving, and to leave it uncovered on the counter until the baklava has finished. Spices, ingredients, utensils, techniques well learn it all, together. Of all of the desserts made anywhere in the world, Baklava is far and away my most favourite. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the honey and lemon juice. This may sound like a Captain Obvious moment, but it bears emphasis; make sure you choose a package of phyllo that is still within the sell by or use by date. Oh, and the diamond shaped cut is a must!! Layers of crispy phyllo dough, a delightful, cinnamon-y filling, all coated in a honey syrup. Add the lemon juice and mix to combine. Allow the food to cool completely before storing it in the refrigerator at room temperature. Asked by Margarett. Preheat the oven to 160'C fan/180'C conventional and line and grease a 2lb loaf tin. Set the oven to 350F and use clarified butter to coat a 9x13-inch baking dish. Bring sugar, honey and water to a boil in saucepan over medium heat and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Many cultures and religions, including Christians, Muslims, and Jews, celebrate this special treat during Christmas and Easter, as well as during the holy month of Ramadan and Rosh Hashana. Always keep the phyllo you aren't using covered with a damp towel on top of a layer of plastic wrap. Place the chopped pistachios in a bowl and mix them with the powdered sugar Assembly Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a shallow bowl, place the warm water Working with one sheet at a time. Walnut pistachio baklava is a classic Middle Eastern pastry dish that is sure to please. Sprinkle with another quarter of nut mixture. When it comes to making baklava, a traditional Middle Eastern pastry, there are many variations on the ingredients you can use. Gently drape a sheet of phyllo on top, brush with butter, and repeat until you have a stack of 8 sheets of buttered phyllo. Halvah is a tahini -based (sesame seed paste) dessert that can be flavored with nuts, chocolate, and other ingredients. cup blanched unsalted almonds, coarsely chopped. However, in various other countries, almonds, hazelnuts, and cashews are also used. To reduce the soggyness of baklava, either hot syrup or cold syrup can be used over it. Baklava is a traditional Middle Eastern dessert that is made with layers of phyllo dough, honey, and nuts. Meanwhile, prepare sugar syrup: In a medium pot, combine sugar with 1 cups/400 milliliters water. Final layer Lay 10 sheets of dough buttering each one. There arent any notes yet. Repeat the phyllo dough and butter layers again for another 7 layers on top of the nut mixture. When they go bad, they slowly begin to change to an ugly dark brown. This very traditional recipe is from one of the most celebrated baklava shops in Istanbul. 15 minutes, plus 15 to 30 minutes resting. If the syrup is hot, youll find that you baklava does not come out crunchy. Assembly takes the most time in this recipe. If you use a 139 baking dish, the phyllo sheets will be bigger, so you might need to cut the ends off, either before using them, or after you've done layering the baklava, or you can simply tuck the ends in. I love pistachio desserts (these Pistachio Cookies are one of my favorite recipes on my site) and this Pistachio Baklava is no different! Add 4 more sheets, brushing in between each sheet. The cool syrup will absorb better into the hot baklava layers. Unroll and separate phyllo ribbons in a large bowl. Made with multiple layers of delicately crispy and flaky phyllo sheets, this Pistachio Baklava Recipe is SO delicious. Step 4: Bake. Heres a summary ofhow to layer your baklava. It's as simple as this: blitz walnuts or pistachios until they are fine crumbs. Place the walnuts and cinnamon in your food processor and pulse until chopped. Roasted salted pistachios if you're feeling nutty and fancy Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark Instructions To make the granola, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Set it aside to cool. For example, there are many Meditteranean countries that have their own versions of baklava! This will give you five very long rectangles. To test this, use a knife to lift up a corner of one of the pastry rectangles from the center of the pan so you can peek at the bottom layers. Baklava | How To Make Baklava | Baklava Rolls | Pistachio Baklava the Syrup How To Phyllo pastry dough Thawed according to package instructions. If it has a foul smell, almost like paint or nail polish remover, it has probably gone off. Place the tray in the oven and bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the phyllo dough is crispy. In a small saucepan, combine honey, sugar, 1/3 cup water, lemon zest, and cinnamon. Refer to my blog photos for step-by-step photo reference. Use more or less to preference. Repeat this 2 more times so you have 8 sheets of phyllo pastry in the baking dish. For the best results cover once it is completely cooled and let it sit overnight. Then, use a spoon to carefully remove the foam from the surface. Easy! Add 4 more phyllo pieces on top, brushing each with butter, then add another quarter of nut mixture, 4 more pieces of phyllo with butter, and remaining nuts. Wow! Spread pistachios on phyllo in an even layer, then layer with remaining phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter as you go (rewarm butter if necessary). Remove from the oven and immediately pour or spoon the cooled syrup over the hot baklava. Brush the base of a 9 x 14 inch pan with some ghee. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for about 1 week. Stir in lemon juice. For this Lebanese version, the twist is the use ofLebanese Simple Syrup (Ater). When assembling, use the nicest, most intact phyllo sheets for the bottom and top layers; use sheets with tears in the middle layers, where their imperfections will go unnoticed. If you leave it at room temperature, it stays crispy. Apply a second layer of syrup. Put the best layers of phyllo on top. I like using a squeezable bottle to spread the syrup evenly on the baklava. You dont want it to dry out and start breaking. I finally decided to just jump in and start testing. Cut the square into 8 triangles with a sharp knife and put them on a serving dish. A sweet syrup is added after all of the flavors are combined. I prefer to gently lay the pan over the stack of phyllo to cut it to size before I start filling my pan. Preheat oven to 350F. Layer remaining 10 pieces of phyllo on top of nuts, brushing each with butter. All Rights Reserved. Brush the top of the phyllo with butter then repeat once more so you have 4 sheets on top of the second layer of walnuts. Roll up the rest of the phyllo sheets and store them in the fridge for up to a week tightly wrapped in plastic. Cut the remaining dough block in to nine 1-inch wide slices, creating sticks 1-inch wide x 5 inches long. Cover phyllo layers with a lightly damp kitchen towel, and keep covered. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Pour the clear butterfat slowly into a bowl. Baklava is a delicious and unique dessert that is sure to please any nut lover. All Rights Reserved. There are roots to (and not limited to) Turkey, Greece, Iran, Lebanon, Armenia with baklava and is thought to have gone back as far as the 2nd century BC, where baklava resembles an Ancient Roman placenta cake. Pulse the pistachios in a food processor for about fifteen 1-second pulses, or until they are very finely chopped. Can I mix in other nuts or chestnuts? Your email address will not be published. Lay the 9-inch by 13-inch pan you'll be using on top of the phyllo to use as a template to trim the dough to the size of the pan. Hazelnuts are used as a filling for baklava in the Black Sea region. That means slap all hands that try to swipe a piece during this process! baklava can be served as a dessert or as a side dish, and it is a delicious and comforting dessert that can be made Greek or Lebanese. Not too fine. When the baklava is baked through, reheat the syrup until it comes to a simmer. Cover with a damp towel, not wet, to prevent it from drying. Baklava was soggy and wet. I layer it in an air-tight container between parchment paper or wax paper, wrap the container tightly with freezer paper, and then place it in a zip-lock freezer bag. Melt the butter. Brush the very top layer with the butter again. Butter bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking dish. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. I call that good thinking! If you try this recipe and like it, please use my hashtag to share it with me onINSTAGRAMfor a chance to be featured in my story! Be sure to start your syrup early so it has time to cool. Our best loved version of it is a Cardamom Pistachio Baklava we make at home. Spread a cup of the ground pistachios evenly on top. All rights reserved. Put the pastry on the middle rack and bake it for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until it turns golden. The most common nuts used in baklava are pistachios, walnuts, and almonds. Garnish with finely chopped pistachios or walnuts if desired. However we would avoid using chestnuts as they tend to be softer than the other nuts mentioned and they have a lower fat content. You can chop/grind the nuts in this recipe to your liking, but make sure not to grind them into a powder. Or use a combination of nuts. Place the baking dish into the oven and bake, uncovered, for 25-35 minutes, or until it is puffed and golden on the top. Once the baklava has finished cooking, reheat the syrup to make it liquid again and pass a first layer of syrup over it, using your kitchen brush. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Mix the sugar and water in a medium pot over medium-high heat. The many stellar cooks and food editors who have been part of our team include Sarah Carey, Lucinda Scala Quinn, Jennifer Aaronson, Shira Bocar, Anna Kovel, Greg Lofts, Riley Wofford, Lauren Tyrell, and Lindsay Leopold. . salted pistachios I use salted pistachios for a sweet-salted pistachios flavor. Melted unsalted butter is not salt-coated. Watch carefully as they can burn easily! Pistachios are the national delicacy of Iran and are the most popular nut. Leave the milk solids in the saucepan. Wrap it up in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze it for up to four months. Sprinkle another 3/4 cup of nut mixture. Remove paper. Put a pinch of ground pistachios in the middle of each piece. And when you pull the baking dish out of the oven, pour the syrup over the top and let it soak into every nook and cranny. You can definitely make this ahead of time! You can keep the baklava in the fridge as well, but it may be a little harder than usual. Place the walnuts and cinnamon in your food processor and pulse until chopped. At this point, you should have 8 layers of phyllo. Then cut diagonally into diamond shapes. I have tried the Pistachio Baklava Recipe with grass-fed organic ghee and we have liked the baklava, its beautiful flavor and baking safety for its high smoke point. Place the tray on the middle rack of your oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. Top with 2 sheets of phyllo pastry. Add the remaining ground nut mixture and spread to the edges of the pan. Add to the bowl with the walnuts. The Greeks made the recipe with phyllo dough, the very thin dough that we use in this recipe. So many recipes are sickeningly sweet and completely devoid of any nut worthy of being inserted in there, ughso disappointing. That will lead to swearing under your breath as you attempt to pray apart hair-thick sheets of phyllo dough. It's rich, it's buttery, it's sweet, and it's filled with 3 layers of ground pistachio. Cookin' With Mima blog is a place where you can find hundreds of easy and delicious family-friendly recipes that are bound to please even your toughest critics. Mix honey, sugar, 1/3 cup water, lemon zest, and cinnamon in a small saucepan. cup sugar. Traditionally pistachios and walnuts are used, but you can mix and match your favorite nuts. Place 1 sheet of phyllo in the bottom of the prepared pan and brush with the ghee or clarified butter until completely coated. Transfer the nuts to a mixing bowl and mix in the brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and salt (if using). During my testing, the key for me was to reduce the honey syrup and infuse the orange, cinnamon, and cloves flavors during the process. There are different kinds of baklava that use different kinds of nuts, different kinds of syrup, and even different shapes for the baklava pieces. Brush a little clarified butter on the phyllo sheet. Spread the on the phyllo in an even layer. Place another sheet of phyllo dough, then brush that with butter. Thaw the phyllo dough according to the package instructions. Remaining ingredients: Dont overprocess the nuts. 3. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade, add the pistachios, walnut, and hazelnuts. Pistachio Baklava is a dessert with a longer shelf-life than most. Make sure the phyllo is completely defrosted before you use it. Good pistachios have nuts that are yellow or green. The second layer Place 5 sheets of phyllo dough brushing each one with butter. Line the bottom and sides of the dish by overlapping the sheets in a crisscross pattern and leaving an overhang. I try my hardest to research recipes as best as I can before posting to ensure I am representing each culture correctly. If you can only find salted pistachios, simply omit the salt called for in the recipe. To cut the baklava into diamonds, using a sharp knife cut into about 1 1/2 wide strips (three cuts). While the baklava is baking, prepare the syrup. Add 1/2 of the ground nut and spice mixture to the pan and spread it out evenly to the edges of the pan, then lay a sheet of phyllo over it then gently brush with butter. You have an extra box in the freezer for a later batch. Depending on how much baklava you have to freeze, I suggest freezing it in small portions (between 10 to 15 pieces is ideal for me) so you can pull out however much youd like to eat. Allow the baklava to sit until completely cooled (at least one hour) before serving. Repeat with 6 more phyllo sheets, ghee or butter, and the last cup of pistachios.