Baklava

Posted on by DVarb

Baklava is a traditional dessert in the Balkan peninsula and within the Mediterranean – sweet pastry made of layers of phyllo and crushed nuts, it is difficult to resist and best savored only a few times a year ;).

As with many traditional recipes, there are many different versions and every family has their own.

This version is a new spin on the beloved tradition. Instead of layers of nuts and sugar and phyllo pastry sheets, it has a non-traditional filling and added aromas that  combined elevate the experience even more.

Baklava

  • Servings: 15-24
  • Difficulty: Medium
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Ingredients

For the filling

  • 5 eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup bread flour
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • lemon zest from 2 lemons (optional)
  • 2 cups chopped roasted almonds
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp citric acid powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

For the syrup

  • 3 cups sugar
  • 4 cups water (cold at room temperature)
  • 7 drops lemon oil (the edible version!)

Other

  • 7-9 sheets phyllo pastry (4-5 for the bottom of the baklava and the rest 3-4 for the top)
  • 1 cup melted butter for the top

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C

Make the filling

  1. Beat the eggs with the sugar really well until they are fluffy and creamy.
  2. Add the vanilla.
  3. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda and citric acid powder and mix well this dry mixture.
  4. Gently add this dry mixture to the eggs and fold with a spatula until well incorporated.
  5. Add the cinnamon, lemon zest and the almonds.
  6. Mix gently until well incorporated.

Put everything together

  1. In the well oiled and floured baking pan, spread 4-5 layers of the phyllo pastry. Depending on the pan size, you can straiten them out or crumble them gently.
  2. Pour gently the filling on top.
  3. Spread the last phyllo pastry sheets on top of the filling.
  4. Slowly pour the melted butter over the full area of the top phyllo sheets. This will give them the most amazing buttery taste and will make them crispy golden when they are fully baked.
  5. Bake in the middle rack at about 350F/180C until the baklava is golden brown and the tooth pick test comes out dry.
  6. While the baklava is baking, prepare the syrup – mix together the sugar and water (cold)  until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the lemon oil drops to the syrup.
  7. When the baklava is ready, take out of the oven, and while still in the baking pan, pour over it the cold syrup, close it off directly in the baking pan with aluminum foil and let it rest.
  8. For best results let is rest overnight.
  9. The next day you can cut it.

Baklava is served cold.

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