Quick Homemade Baklava
12 servings
80 minutes
Quick homemade baklava is a refined dessert of Greek cuisine that combines crispy layers of phyllo dough with aromatic nut filling soaked in honey syrup. The origins of baklava date back centuries, and its variations are found in many cultures' cuisines. Here the process is simplified, but the taste remains truly magical. Crispy phyllo sheets soaked in butter harmoniously blend with walnuts and pistachios, creating a sweet, rich flavor with hints of citrus and cardamom. Baklava is perfect for holidays and family tea gatherings, filling the home with warmth and coziness. Once cooled after preparation, it acquires a pleasant tenderness, making each piece delightful.
1
Prepare all the ingredients. Take the phyllo dough out of the freezer.
- Filo (phyllo) pastry: 1 kg
2
Remove the zest from the orange without touching the white part.
- Oranges: 1 piece
3
Mix water, honey, cardamom seeds, orange zest, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Water: 250 ml
- Honey: 250 g
- Cardamom: 5 piece
- Oranges: 1 piece
- Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon
4
Reduce heat to a gentle boil. Stirring occasionally, cook the syrup for 5 minutes. Once the syrup has completely cooled, strain it.
5
Chop walnuts and sugar in a blender.
- Walnuts: 300 g
- Sugar: 100 g
6
Grind the pistachios separately.
- Pistachios: 90 g
7
Melt the butter. Generously grease the baking tray, set aside the remaining butter for later use.
- Butter: 200 g
8
Place a stack of 20 sheets of filo on the baking tray. If the sheets do not fit, trim them. Add another 5-10 sheets of filo from another pack on top of the first stack.
9
Spread the crushed walnuts evenly over the surface of the filo.
- Walnuts: 300 g
10
Place the remaining filo sheets on top of the nuts.
11
Cut the baklava into diamonds. Make 5 cuts along and 9 cuts diagonally, holding the sheets.
12
Evenly pour the remaining melted butter over the baklava. Let the butter settle for about 5 minutes.
- Butter: 200 g
13
Bake until golden brown for about 50-60 minutes at 180 degrees. Halfway through baking, flip the tray to ensure the baklava browns evenly.
14
Take the baklava out of the oven and immediately pour sugar syrup over it.
- Water: 250 ml
15
Sprinkle with crushed pistachios. Allow to cool at room temperature for a few hours before serving.
- Pistachios: 90 g
