Walnut Baklava
User Reviews
4.9
Walnut Baklava
Description
Walnut Baklava combines unsalted raw walnuts mixed with sugar and cinnamon, layered between multiple sheets of phyllo pastry brushed with melted ghee or unsalted butter. The use of orange juice and zest in the syrup, along with cinnamon, gives a warm citrus note complementing the nutty filling. The phyllo pastry is carefully layered with alternating walnut mixtures, creating three distinct nut layers encased in buttery crisp pastry. Baking at 180°C (356°F) until golden brown achieves a flaky, textured crust. After baking, the warm syrup is poured over for sweetness and moisture.
The resulting Baklava offers a combination of textures from the crisp, flaky pastry to the slightly crunchy, spiced walnut filling. The syrup, a blend of honey, sugar, water, and aromatic spices, melts into the layers, providing a sticky, fragrant finish. This rich dessert can be served in squares, making it suitable as a shared sweet treat for gatherings.
Phyllo sheets should be well thawed and handled gently to prevent tearing. Using ghee enhances the flavor and texture but unsalted butter is a suitable alternative. Walnut crushing should be coarse enough to maintain a pleasant bite but fine enough to layer evenly. The syrup should reach just less thick than honey to soak well without making the pastry soggy.
Ingredients
For the syrup:
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup honey
- 1 cup water
- orange juice and zest of 1
- 2 ticks cinnamon
The Baklava filling:
- 2 1/2 cups walnuts raw, unsalted
- ½ cup granulated sugar white
- 3 tsp cinnamon powder
- 4 cups ghee or unsalted butter, melted
- 2 packs phyllo pastry frozen, thawed in fridge overnight
Instructions
To make the syrup:
- Prepare the syrup and set aside to cool.
- Place all ingredients together in a pot on high heat until its thickness becomes just a little lesser than the thickness of honey.
To make the Baklava:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).
- Prepare a 24 cm (9 in) round baking tray, greasing it with ghee.
- Crush the walnuts in a blender or food processor and put sugar on it, then add cinnamon.
- Mix everything well with a spoon or spatula and set aside.
- In the baking tray, layer 6 sheets of phyllo pastry on top of each other brushing each sheet with ghee before placing another on top. Apply ghee on the top sheet.
- Spread a cup of the walnut mixture on top of these 6 sheets.
- Add another 6 sheets of phyllo, applying ghee between each sheet and then spread a cup of walnuts like previously done.
- Repeat until you have a total of 3 layers of the walnut filling then top with the last 6 layers of phyllo brushing each layer with ghee.
- Cut into equal squares and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, until it turns golden.
- Pour the cooled syrup on top of the baklava as soon as it comes out of the oven. Wait until it’s completely cooled to turn it out into your serving platter.
Serving and storing suggestions:
- Baklava is best eaten fresh out of the oven, but it will last for up to 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Tips and tricks:
- For the syrup, I like to put the juice in and then add the entire orange as well, and when the syrup is ready, I just remove the orange peels. The baklava should be hot and the syrup should be cold when it is poured on it so the baklava remain scrunchy. The beauty of baklava lies in the layering and brushing, so make sure you get the layers right.
Notes
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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