How to Make Baklava – Authentic Baklava (Recipe Guide)

Our full recipe guide on how to make Baklava one of the most popular desserts in East Europe.

Baklava is a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey.

Baklava is commonly enjoyed in many countries in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, and the Balkans. Making authentic baklava at home can be a rewarding experience.

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How to Make Baklava

Baklava Recipe Ingredients

For the Pastry:
1 pound filo dough, thawed if frozen
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
2 cups nuts (such as walnuts, pistachios, almonds, or a mix), finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 cinnamon stick
1 strip lemon peel
1 strip orange peel
2 tablespoons lemon juice

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Step By Step How to Make Baklava

1. Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Pan

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush the baking dish with some of the melted butter.

2. Prepare the Nut Mixture

In a bowl, mix the finely chopped nuts with ground cinnamon.

3. Assemble the Layers

Place a sheet of filo dough in the baking dish and brush with melted butter. Repeat until you have layered about half of the filo sheets, brushing each with butter before adding the next.

Spread the nut mixture evenly over the layered filo. Continue layering and buttering the remaining filo sheets on top of the nuts.

4. Cut the Baklava

Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamond or square shapes, making sure to cut all the way through all the layers.

5. Bake

Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 50 minutes, or until the baklava is golden and crisp.

6. Make the Syrup

While the baklava is baking, combine water, sugar, honey, cinnamon stick, lemon peel, orange peel, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Remove the cinnamon stick and peels.

7. Finish the Baklava

As soon as the baklava comes out of the oven, pour the cooled syrup over the hot baklava. Let it sit for several hours or overnight at room temperature to allow the syrup to soak in and the flavors to meld.

Tips To Make Baklava

Keep the filo dough covered with a damp cloth when not in use to prevent it from drying out. The syrup should be cool when it is poured over the hot baklava, or vice versa. This helps the syrup absorb better without making the pastry soggy.

Be sure to cut the baklava before baking; this makes it easier to cut through without crushing the layers.

How Many Calories Has A Baklava

A typical piece of baklava can have approximately 200 to 400 calories.

Filo Dough, Nuts, Butter and Syrup will make many calories in this small dessert.