My husband and I have a long-standing tradition of making baklava together for Christmas day. Baklava is a traditional Greek dessert made with phyllo dough, walnuts and a special syrup. It is best made well in advance of serving so the ingredients have time to soak into the phyllo dough. Mmmm.

Baklava is a traditional Greek dessert made with phyllo dough, walnuts and a special syrup. It is best made well in advance of serving so the ingredients have time to soak into the phyllo dough. Mmmm

Ingredients before assembly.

BAKLAVA RECIPE

BAKLAVA INGREDIENTS FOR LAYERING

1 (16 oz) pkg phyllo dough (use both packages in the box)
1 cup melted butter (2 sticks)
1 pound chopped walnuts (finely chopped in a food processor)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

INGREDIENTS FOR BAKLAVA SAUCE

1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean
½ cup honey
some orange peel and lemon peel
juice of ½ a lemon
1 cinnamon stick
whole cloves 

DIRECTIONS FOR BAKLAVA SAUCE

In saucepan over medium heat, mix water and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and add vanilla, honey, citrus peels, lemon juice & cinnamon stick. Simmer gently for 20 minutes. Remove from heat to cool & remove citrus and cinnamon stick. 

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 300°F.
Chop nuts in food processor and toss with cinnamon. Set aside.

Butter the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. (one with square edges is better than rounded like the glass pan we used) Unroll phyllo dough, keep covered with a damp towel while working.

Butter the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan.(one with square edges is better than rounded like the glass pan we used.)
Unroll phyllo dough, keep covered with a damp towel while working.

Reserve 6-8 sheets of phyllo dough for the top layer. Cover & set aside.

Layer 8 sheets of phyllo dough on the bottom, buttering each sheet with melted butter.
Sprinkle approximately 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top.

Add two more sheets of phyllo, buttering each individually. **Press each sheet down firmly before buttering.** Add a layer of nuts as shown. Add two more sheets of dough, pressing, buttering & nutting. ☺

Add two more sheets of phyllo, buttering each individually.
**Press each sheet down firmly before buttering.**
Add a layer of nuts as shown.
Add two more sheets of dough, pressing, buttering & nutting. ☺
Repeat until nuts are gone, then place the remaining 6-8 layers on top, buttering each.
Using a very sharp knife, cut according to diagram below.
Poke one clove into center of each triangle.

Baklava-cutting-template
Baklava Cutting Template

Bake for approximately 1 hour to 1.5 hours or until golden brown, remove from oven & immediately pour cooled sauce over the hot baklava.

Kathy Shea Mormino

Affectionately known internationally as The Chicken Chick®, Kathy Shea Mormino shares a fun-loving, informative style to raising backyard chickens. …Read on

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My husband and I have a long-standing tradition of making baklava together for Christmas day. Baklava is a traditional Greek dessert made with phyllo dough, walnuts and a special syrup. It is best made well in advance of serving so the ingredients have time to soak into the phyllo dough. Mmmm.

Baklava is a traditional Greek dessert made with phyllo dough, walnuts and a special syrup. It is best made well in advance of serving so the ingredients have time to soak into the phyllo dough. Mmmm

Ingredients before assembly.

BAKLAVA RECIPE

BAKLAVA INGREDIENTS FOR LAYERING

1 (16 oz) pkg phyllo dough (use both packages in the box)
1 cup melted butter (2 sticks)
1 pound chopped walnuts (finely chopped in a food processor)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

INGREDIENTS FOR BAKLAVA SAUCE

1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean
½ cup honey
some orange peel and lemon peel
juice of ½ a lemon
1 cinnamon stick
whole cloves 

DIRECTIONS FOR BAKLAVA SAUCE

In saucepan over medium heat, mix water and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and add vanilla, honey, citrus peels, lemon juice & cinnamon stick. Simmer gently for 20 minutes. Remove from heat to cool & remove citrus and cinnamon stick. 

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 300°F.
Chop nuts in food processor and toss with cinnamon. Set aside.

Butter the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. (one with square edges is better than rounded like the glass pan we used) Unroll phyllo dough, keep covered with a damp towel while working.

Butter the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan.(one with square edges is better than rounded like the glass pan we used.)
Unroll phyllo dough, keep covered with a damp towel while working.

Reserve 6-8 sheets of phyllo dough for the top layer. Cover & set aside.

Layer 8 sheets of phyllo dough on the bottom, buttering each sheet with melted butter.
Sprinkle approximately 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top.

Add two more sheets of phyllo, buttering each individually. **Press each sheet down firmly before buttering.** Add a layer of nuts as shown. Add two more sheets of dough, pressing, buttering & nutting. ☺

Add two more sheets of phyllo, buttering each individually.
**Press each sheet down firmly before buttering.**
Add a layer of nuts as shown.
Add two more sheets of dough, pressing, buttering & nutting. ☺
Repeat until nuts are gone, then place the remaining 6-8 layers on top, buttering each.
Using a very sharp knife, cut according to diagram below.
Poke one clove into center of each triangle.

Baklava-cutting-template
Baklava Cutting Template

Bake for approximately 1 hour to 1.5 hours or until golden brown, remove from oven & immediately pour cooled sauce over the hot baklava.

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Colleen Richman
Colleen Richman
9 years ago

Thank you for the giveaway!

vwestcamp
9 years ago

Mmmmm… sounds great! I worked with a gal a few years ago that immigrated from Syria when she was a teenager. She made a dessert very similar to Baklava, but the sauce also had rose syrup in it! Sooooo gooooood! Thanks for your recipe! Have a great Wednesday.

Carrie
Carrie
9 years ago

Would love to win this; very curious to try it.

Cinnamon
Cinnamon
9 years ago

Love your site and blog! I'm new to the chicken world but love that I can come here and learn about chicken poop and get recipe for baklava!

Barbara Bogan Bealer
Barbara Bogan Bealer
9 years ago

I'm going to have to try this recipe for Bakalava! Looks delicious!
Would also love to win the deodorizer.