Easy Pistachio Baklava – the viral hack!

I’ve been making Baklava the traditional way for more than a decade, but this hack actually works! Make this gorgeous tray of baklava for friends and family, and thank me later

I get it! I was very suspicious too, but I’m here to tell you from my own experience, that this time saving baklava hack is absolutely game changing. 

WHAT IS BAKLAVA?

Baklava is a dessert or pastry made of many sheets of phyllo pastry, then traditionally filled with chopped nuts and spices and soaked in a rich honey syrup.

THE ORIGIN OF BAKLAVA

The flakey sweet pastry is widely popular in Greek, Turkey, and the Middle East.

Many different cultures and ethnic groups claim Baklava to be “theirs,” although the history of baklava is not well-documented. The word “baklava” entered English from Turkish, although the dish is often thought to be of Greek origin. The best evidence is that it is of Central Asian Turkic origin. Although there are still scholars that believe baklava is a product of Persia. The earliest written record of Persian baklava appears in a 13th-century cookbook that was based on 9th-century Persian recipes.

roasted pistachios, walnuts, and almonds

INGREDIENTS

phyllo dough – found in the freezer section of your grocery store! make sure to thaw your phyllo pastry in the fridge overnight. While I’m layering my Pistachio and Chocolate Baklava, I like to keep mine covered by a clean damp kitchen towel so that the dough doesn’t dry out.

salted butter – melted butter is the back bone of this recipe, so I use high quality grass-fed European butter that has a high fat content and better flavor than the American counterparts.

pistachios – I use unsalted shelled pistachios and I toast them to bring out the nuttiness and delicious rich pistachio flavor.

walnuts – use unsalted walnuts, and chop them the same size as the pistachios and almonds.

almonds – same as above!

honey – I like to use a lighter golden honey like alfalfa, clover or buckwheat honey for this baklava syrup. The milder flavor marries perfectly with the  chopped nuts, and spices.

kosher salt – I always a generous amount of kosher salt when I make baklava to counteract the sweetness of the pastry. The salt doesn’t make the dessert “salty” – it simply enhances the prominent flavors even more. Great bakers always salt their desserts!

HOW TO CUT BAKLAVA

Here’s the secret to cutting sharp angles on your baklava like a pro: cut the baklava before it bakes!

With the long edge of the baking tray facing you, use a sharp chef’s knife the slice the layered dessert into 4 equal rectangles.

Then slice down the middle of each of those sections. Next, starting in the corner, slice across the baking sheet diagonally to create diamond shapes. Voila!

cut baklava before you bake it

time saving hack: pour the entire cup of melted butter on top! trust me

pour the honey syrup on top when the baklava is HOT from the oven

HOW TO STORE

The best way to store baklava is in an airtight container at room temperature. It will last at room temperature for up to 4 days because the honey syrup acts a natural preservative.

PRO BAKING TIPS

• Let your baklava rest for at least 12 hours before serving. The flavors will be more pronounced, and the texture of the phyllo is flakier once it has absorbed the syrup.
• Even if you think your baklava is done, bake it for another 5 minutes to ensure that the layers of phyllo are nice and golden brown and flakey.
• Pour the honey syrup on the baked baklava when it’s super hot from the oven. You should hear an audible sizzle as you pour. This helps the pastry absorb the syrup even better.
• Chop all of your nuts about the same size, so you get a uniform bite.

look how gorgeous!

the flakiest layers

Want more delicious dessert recipes? Check out:

Pistachio Cranberry White Chocolate Biscotti

Brown Butter Maple Pecan Cookies

The BEST Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Toffee

• IF YOU LOVE IT, SHARE IT!

  If you make this delicious Homemade Pistachio Baklava, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! I love to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.

  And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3

  Be sure to save this recipe and Pin It to your favorite Desserts recipe board.

  Happy Baking xoxo LeAnne

THE RECIPE

Print

Easy Pistachio Baklava - this viral hack works!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Greek, middle eastern

Keyword baklava, easy dessert, Pastries

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

resting time 12 hours

Servings 25 servings

Author LeAnne Yaakubov

Ingredients

For the baklava filling

• 1 cup shelled, raw pistachios 123 g
• 1 cup whole raw almonds 142 g
• 1 cup shelled, raw walnuts 115 g
• ¼ cup granulated sugar 50 g
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the honey syrup

• ¾ cup granulated sugar 150 g
• 1 cup water 240 g
• 1 cup raw honey 336 g
• 5-6 whole cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 2 g
• fresh juice of half lemon

For assembly

• 16 tablespoons salted butter, melted 240 g
• 1 package phyllo dough sheets, thawed but cold 16 oz.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Place all of the nuts on baking tray, and roast for 15 minutes until fragrant and lightly roasted, let cool.

2. Melt the salted butter completely, set aside.

3. Make the Nut Mixture: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade, add the pistachios, walnut, and almonds. The nuts can also be finely chopped by hand. Pulse a few times to chop in the food processor until the texture is small, but still plenty of texture, not too fine. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and kosher salt. Mix well to combine.

4. Assemble: Brush the 9x13 baking pan generously with melted butter. Lay 1/3 of the phyllo sheets into the prepared baking pan. Next, add 1/2 of the nut filling on top, using your hands to spread the mixture out into an even layer.

   Layer another 1/3 of the phyllo dough on top of the nut mixture, tucking the edges in or up so that it fits in the pan. It's fine if it's not perfect, this just gives you more flaky edges.

5. Add the remaining 1/2 of the nut mixture, spreading it out into an even layer. Then, lay the final 1/3 of phyllo dough on top.

   Use a very sharp chef's knife to slice all the way through the layers of phyllo to create the iconic diamond shaped pieces of baklava. Here's how: with the long side of the pan facing you, start by slicing straight down, then make diagonal cuts to create the diamonds. Use your other hand to stabilize the dough if it wants to creep up.

6. Evenly pour all of the melted butter over the top of the baklava. Tilt the pan from side to side the ensure than the butter is evenly distributed.

   Bake the baklava for 50-55 minutes until the top is deeply golden brown.

7. While the baklava is baking, make the honey syrup mixture.

   Prepare the Honey Syrup: Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Add the honey, and whole cloves; stir to mix. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove syrup from heat, add the fresh lemon juice, and remove the whole cloves. Set aside.

8. Remove the baklava from the oven and, and immediately pour the honey syrup evenly over the top. let the baklava rest for at least 12 hours to allow the phyllo to throughly absorb all of the syrup. Enjoy!

The post Easy Pistachio Baklava first appeared on Lion’s Bread Blog