Easiest Tastiest Baklava Recipe

Submitted by UmLeena

"With there being hundreds of different ways of making this, I found that this is the tastiest and easiest to follow. When I tried the Syrian style of Baklava I was intent on recreating it and have been addicted since. Warning: Can be addictive :) The recipe makes enough for a small/medium sized glass dish so if wanted in large quantities, just double amounts."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 5mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Yields: 16 Baklavas

ingredients

• 450 g phyllo pastry
• 200 g pistachios
• 200 g almonds
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon rose water
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
• 250 g butter

• Plus

• butter, for greasing

• Syrup

• 300 ml water
• 450 g granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon rose water
• 1 tablespoon orange blossom water

directions

1. Shell 200g pistachios and blend in blender until finely chopped.
2. Peel 200g almonds and blend in blender until finely chopped also. (almonds can be bought already peeled for convenience, or for easy peeling place in a bowl of boiling water for 10 mins, then rub handfuls together and skin should just come away).
3. In a large bowl, mix the chopped almonds and pistachios together with 2 Tbsp caster sugar, 1 Tbsp rose water and 1 Tbsp orange blossom water.
4. Cover and set aside.
5. Syrup: In a large saucepan, add 300ml water until boiling.
6. Add 400g sugar and 1 tbsp lemon juice and leave to simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Add 1 Tbsp rose water and ! tbsp orange blossom water and leave to simmer for another 10mins until sugar is dissolved.
8. Remove from heat and allow to cool whilst preparing and cooking the Baklava.
9. Take a medium sized glass baking dish and grease with butter.
10. Lay 1 sheet fillo pastry on top.
11. Melt 250g butter in a pan.
12. Brush 1 Tbsp onto pastry (use more if needed).
13. Layer another sheet of pastry on top then again brush with butter.
14. Do this until 1/2 of the pastry has been used.
15. Uncover prepared nut mixture and pour on top of the pastry layers.
16. Layer sheet of pastry on top of the mixture and brush with butter.
17. Repeat with the pastry and butter layers until the remaining 1/2 of the packet has been used (remember to brush top layer with butter too!).
18. Cut diamond or square pattern into the pastry layers with a knife.
19. Bake for 20mins at 180c.
20. Increase temperature to 220c for 15mins until the pastry is golden brown.
21. Once removed from oven, pour the now cooled syrup bit by bit over the top until absorbed.
22. Allow to cool, then enjoy!