Syrupy Traditional Greek Baklava Recipe

One of the most widespread traditional sweets found throughout the Middle East, with slight variations depending on its home country.

Its main characteristic feature is the thin phyllo sheet filled with nuts, which is always syrupy.

It is definitely, one of our all time favorite Greek traditional dessert!

Note: not suitable for those with nut allergies.

Baklava pastry dessert

Irini from Paxxi

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine Greek

Servings 18 pieces

Calories 530 kcal

Equipment

• food processor
• baking pan (25 x 35 cm)
• Bowl
• Saucepan (for the syrup)

Ingredients

  

For the filling

• 200 g walnuts (7 oz)
• 200 g almonds (7 oz)
• 70 g breadcrumbs (grated 2.5 oz)
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon cloves powder
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• 400 g melted butter (14.1 oz)
• 18 cloves

For the baklava pastry

• 500 g phyllo sheets (17.6 oz)

For the syrup

• 280 g sugar (9.8 oz)
• 315 g water (11.1 oz)
• 1 tablespoon glucose syrup
• 2-3 lemon peels
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves

Instructions

 

For the syrup

• In a small saucepan, add the water, sugar, glucose, lemon peel and juice, cinnamon, cloves and let the sugar melt and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool completely.
• Make the syrup first so that it has cooled by the time the baklava is baked. The syrup should be cold and the baklava should be warm before you pour the syrup over.

For the filling

• Crush the walnuts and almonds in a food processor.
• Add the crushed nuts to a bowl and mix together with the breadcrumbs, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

For the baklava pastry

• Melt the butter and scrape off what is left at the bottom.
• Use a pastry brush to butter the entire 25 x 35 cm baking pan.
• Butter the first 3 phyllo sheets and place them one after the other, placing one sheet on the right, one on the left and the next one on the top.
• Then sprinkle 3 handfuls of the nut filling and spread the next sheet again, buttering it and spreading the filling again. Repeat until there are 3 sheets left to finish.
• Cut the excess phyllo sheets around the perimeter of the pan and turn the rest of the phyllo inward (toward the filling).
• Cover the last 3 phyllo sheets one by one, spreading butter again in between.
• Cut the excess sheets from the rims of the baking pan and with the help of a spatula, push the phyllo sheets downward. "Close" the baklava.
• Butter the surface of the pastry and cut the phyllo into pieces to form squares or rhombuses.
• Sprinkle with a bit of water.
• Garnish each piece with a clove in the middle.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 160 C for 1 hour.
• After the first hour and when the baklava is golden brown, cover it with foil. Bake it for 30 more minutes.
• Once it comes out of the oven, use a tablespoon to pour over the cold syrup.
• Let it soak for at least 2 hours before cutting it.