baklava

Baklava with flaky phyllo, honey, and walnuts makes 20 pieces and keeps fresh for days. Main keyword: baklava.

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Total Time 1 31

Servings: 20 pieces

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Calories: 280

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Layer and nut filling

400 grams phyllo dough
250 grams walnuts coarsely chopped
100 grams pistachios optional, coarsely chopped
100 grams butter melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Syrup

200 ml water
200 grams sugar
150 grams honey
1 piece lemon peel only the peel, strip

Method

Phyllo and nut layering

Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Brush a 30x20 cm baking dish with melted butter — get into the corners.
Lay out your phyllo sheets. Cover them with a slightly damp kitchen towel so they don't dry out and tear.
Place one sheet of phyllo in the dish. Brush lightly with butter. Layer another sheet and repeat until 6 sheets are stacked.
Mix walnuts, (optional) pistachios, and cinnamon in a bowl.
Sprinkle a thin layer of nut mixture on the phyllo. Add two more sheets, brushing each with butter. Keep layering nuts and 2 sheets at a time until you run out of filling — finish with 6 phyllo sheets on top, buttering each.
Cut the baklava into diamonds or squares with a sharp knife before baking. Go all the way through to the bottom.
Bake for 50–55 minutes, until the top looks crisp and golden brown.

Syrup

When there’s 10 minutes left on the oven timer, combine water, sugar, honey, and lemon peel in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook 6–8 minutes, just until slightly thickened. Remove the lemon peel.

Finishing

When the baklava comes out of the oven, pour the hot syrup evenly over the whole tray. Listen for the sizzle — it means the syrup is reaching every layer.
Let it cool for at least 3 hours before serving, uncovered. Baklava is actually better the next day, so don’t rush it.

Notes

I make baklava when I want something with real presence — crisp, sweet, but not one-note. My mom taught me her shortcut for flaky layers without fuss.

Tips for tidy baklava and crisp layers

Don’t skip the pre-cut: Cut the baklava before baking — all the way down to the bottom of the dish. If you try to slice after syrup, the layers will just mash down.

Cover your phyllo with a just-damp towel while you work. Let it dry for five minutes and it’ll break into scraps. I once used plastic wrap and still had trouble, so stick with cloth.

Scraps from torn sheets? Stack two together, brush with butter, and use them in the middle layers — nobody will notice.

Swaps and what doesn’t work

Mixed nuts are great, but skip peanuts (too soft). Swap in almonds or all-walnut. Pistachio-only works, but I find the flavor can get lost behind the honey unless you use fresh ones and a whisper of extra cinnamon.

I’ve tested butter and clarified butter (ghee) — both crisp the layers, but ghee won’t brown quite as deeply. I skip margarine; it just tastes flat here.

Storage — yes, you can make it ahead

Baklava keeps for up to a week at room temperature if covered lightly. Don’t refrigerate — it’ll get soggy and chewy. I slice what I need for dessert, then just cover the tray with a clean cloth and walk away.