This iconic Baklava recipe dessert features layers of flaky phyllo pastry, generously filled with pistachios and sweet syrup.
Whether you're a seasoned baklava enthusiast or new to this culinary delight, our recipe promises to deliver a truly satisfying and memorable experience.
Why you’ll love this
Delicate Layers of Flaky Pastry
This Baklava boasts perfectly crisp and flaky layers of phyllo pastry, adding a delightful texture to each bite. The thin sheets of pastry create an enticing contrast with the rich, nutty filling, resulting in a harmonious blend of flavors and textures.
Irresistible Pistachio Filling
We use a combination of finely chopped pistachios providing a satisfying crunch and a burst of flavors that will impress your loved ones.
Sweetness Infused with Syrup
Once baked to golden perfection, this Pistachio Baklava is generously drizzled with a luscious syrup made from sugar, and a hint of lemon juice. This sweet syrup seeps into the layers of pastry, infusing every bite with a heavenly sweetness.
Easy to Customize and Share
Baklava is a dessert that encourages creativity and personalization. You can customize this recipe by adding your favorite nuts, experimenting with different spices, or even incorporating a touch of rosewater or orange blossom water for a fragrant twist. Plus, this dessert is perfect for sharing, making it an ideal treat for gatherings, potlucks, or special occasions.
What is Baklava?
Baklava is a traditional Middle Eastern dessert made with layers of phyllo pastry, nuts, and sweet syrup. It is a beloved treat known for its delicate layers and rich flavors.
How to prepare Baklava
Create the syrup: The water and sugar into a saucepan and simmer until the syrup has formed.
Add the lemon juice: Remove the syrup from the heat, pour into a bowl, stir the lemon juice through and set aside.
Slice the pastry: Halve the pastry horizontally and set one portion aside, cutting both sets of pastry to shape for your baking dish, as necessary.
Brush and layer: Brush the base of your baking dish with melted butter, lay two sheets of pastry down. Brush with more melted butter and repeat until the bottom layer is complete.
Filling time: Brush the cream over the top of the pastry and add all the pistachios, spreading to even out.
Layer and brush: Lay two sheets for the top of the pastry over the pistachios and brush with melted butter. Repeat until the top pastry is complete.
Slice the top: Slowly and methodically slice squares or triangles into the top portions of pastry only.
Bake: Bake until golden and the edges are bubbling thanks to the butter.
Slice fully: Remove and allow to cool a little before slicing through the bottom layers of pastry.
Time for syrup: Slowly pour the syrup over the gaps of the entire baklava.
Soak: Set aside to soak for at least 4 hours (a great make ahead).
Serve: Plate up one or two pieces of pastry and serve alongside some strong coffee.
Ingredients and substitutions for Baklava
- Phyllo pastry: Those thin sheets of phyllo or filo pastry are store-bought as this is much easier. If you cannot source this pastry, you could substitute with puff pastry, however, this has fat already in it (phyllo does not) so it would be recommended to not layer, due to the laminating that has already been completed in the process of making puff. It could also result in a very different outcome of your Baklava.
- Pistachios: Unsweetened whole pistachios were used here as we add syrup. Because we need our pistachios to be fine in our filling, you could substitute whole with finely chopped ones to speed up your preparation time.
- Butter: Unsalted butter was used here, however, salted will also work well here. If using non dary butter, the result is not known as I have not tried this.
- Sugar: Superfine or caster sugar was used here as it dissolves so well into our syrup and adds sweetness without adding additional flavors.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Baklava:
Place the water and sugar in a pot on high heat and boil for 5 minutes, lower the temperature to medium.
Continue simmering for a further 15 minutes.
Pour into a bowl at room temperature, stir in the lemon juice and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375.
Lay the phyllo sheets on the bench and slice in half horizontally to double the layers.
Set half the phyllo sheets aside as these will be the top layer, and if necessary, cut the pastry to shape for the baking dish.
Brush the baking dish with a little melted butter then lay two phyllo sheets down and brush with melted butter.
Lay another two sheets and repeat layering and brushing melted butter until all the bottom sheets have been laid out and pressed into the baking dish.
1
Brush with the top of the bottom layers with cream and add all the pistachios, spreading out evenly.
2
For the top layer, repeat as for the bottom by laying two sheets of phyllo pastry down and brush with melted butter until the pastry is complete.
Cut squares (or triangles, your preference) carefully and slowly into the pastry to the point where your knife hits the pistachios (see note).
3
Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, turn down the oven to 160ºC/325F and bake for a further 30 minutes until golden on top all over and some light bubbles are appearing on the edges of the pastry thanks to that butter.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes and then proceed to carefully cut through the bottom of the pastry. You'll have to drive your knife quite firmly through to the base as the pastry as it is a bit difficult.
Once you have cut all the baklava, take the slightly warm syrup and drizzle over the cut gaps in the baklava.
Set aside and allow to soak and cool for 4 hours.
Serve one or two with a little some chopped pistachios on top and ideally some strong coffee.
Dig in!
Equipment needed to make these
Saucepan: To make your syrup, a small saucepan is best.
Baking dish: To bake your Baklava.
Pastry brush: To coat the layers and help create the signature texture in the pastry.
FAQ's for the best Baklava
The best way to speed up making your own baklava is to cut your pistachios (doing this days ahead even and have them ready to add to the pastry.
Cutting the pastry before baking allows two things; firstly, the top pastry layers will rise as is traditional for baklava for that flaky topping. Secondly, and more importantly, not letting your knife go into the bottom layers before baking ensures they don't rise and results in them soaking up all the syrup for that other traditional and classic feature of baklava.
By cutting into the pastry slowly, you'll notice the tip of your knife cut from smooth pastry into rough pistachios which will help you stop right there.
Absolutely! This Pistachio Baklava recipe allows for customization and experimentation with different nuts. You can use a combination of walnuts, almonds, or any other nuts you prefer.
While Baklava may seem intricate, our recipe provides clear instructions, making the process approachable even for beginners. With a little patience, you can create a delicious batch of Baklava in no time.
Yes, Baklava is an excellent make-ahead dessert. In fact, the flavors tend to develop and become even more delicious after a day or two. Simply store it in an airtight container at room temperature.
Baklava should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. This will help maintain its freshness and prevent it from becoming too moist or dry.
Yes, Pistachio Baklava can be frozen for future enjoyment. Once baked, allow it to cool completely, then wrap it tightly and place it in a freezer-safe container. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Absolutely! Our recipe provides a balanced level of sweetness, but if you prefer a less sweet Baklava, you can reduce the amount of syrup used or adjust the sweetness of the syrup to your liking.
Yes, you can make mini Baklava by cutting the phyllo sheets into smaller squares or rectangles. Adjust the baking time accordingly, as mini Baklavas may require less time in the oven.
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Pistachio Baklava
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: + soak time 5 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: 24 baklavaa
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Turkish
Description
Pistachio Baklava is one of those sweets often on the counter of Middle Eastern eateries, but making this at home, whilst taking some time, is well worth it. This recipe doesn't require any special ingredients either which is a bonus.
Ingredients
Sugar syrup
250 milliliters / 1 cup water
250 grams / 1 ¼ cups superfine/caster sugar
14 grams / 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Baklava
350 grams / 12 ounces phyllo pastry
250 grams / 8 ounces butter, melted
150 grams / 1 ½ cups pistachios, roughly chopped/ground
90 grams / 6 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
Sugar syrup
- Place the water and sugar in a pot on high heat and boil for 5 minutes, lower the temperature to medium and continue simmering for a further 15 minutes.
- Pour into a bowl at room temperature and set aside.
Baklava
- Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375.
- Set half the phyllo sheets aside as these will be the top layer, and if necessary, cut the pastry to shape for the baking dish.
- Brush the baking dish with a little melted butter then lay two phyllo sheets down and brush with melted butter.
- Lay another two sheets and repeat layering and brushing melted butter until all the bottom sheets have been laid out and pressed into the baking dish.
- Brush with the cream and than add the pistachios, spreading out evenly.
- Next lay two sheets of phyllo down and brush with melted butter in the same fashion as your base layers, brushing the last of the butter on the top of the pastry. Cut squares into the pastry to the point where your knife hits the pistachios (this step will ensure the top layer of pastry rises).
- Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, turn down the oven to 160ºC/325F and bake for a further 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes and then proceed to carefully cut through the bottom of the pastry, this will take effort.
- Once you have cut all the baklava, take the slightly warm syrup and drizzle over the cut gaps in the baklava. Allow to sit for 4 hours to soak and cool.
- Serve one or two with a little some chopped pistachios on top.
Notes
- Phyllo pastry: Those thin sheets of phyllo or filo pastry are store-bought as this is much easier. If you cannot source this pastry, you could substitute with puff pastry, however, this has fat already in it (phyllo does not) so it would be recommended to not layer, due to the laminating that has already been completed in the process of making puff. It could also result in a very different outcome of your Baklava.
- Pistachios: Unsweetened whole pistachios were used here as we add syrup. Because we need our pistachios to be fine in our filling, you could substitute whole with finely chopped ones to speed up your preparation time.
- Slicing the top layers of your pastry: Cutting the pastry before baking allows two things; firstly, the top pastry layers will rise as is traditional for baklava for that flaky topping. Secondly, and more importantly, not letting your knife go into the bottom layers before baking ensures they don't rise and results in them soaking up all the syrup for that other traditional and classic feature of baklava.
- Storing baklava: Baklava should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. This will help maintain its freshness and prevent it from becoming too moist or dry.
- Can be made ahead: Simply store it in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Can be frozen: Once baked, allow it to cool completely, then wrap it tightly and place it in a freezer-safe container. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Adapted from Turkish Cookbook
Nutrition
- Calories: 190 calories per piece
Keywords: pastry, dessert
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