Baklava Recipe from Scratch – How to Make Baklava

Instructions

For the phyllo dough

1. In the bowl of your stand mixed, add all the dry ingredients.
2. In a separate bowl, mix all the wet ingredients.
3. Using the paddle attachments, slowly add the liquid to the flour mixture.
4. Let everything come together of sorts.
5. Transfer on to an oiled counter space and knead with hand for about 15-20 mins so that the gluten is well formed. It will be a relatively softer dough but as you knead it will turn into a smoother dough.
6. Put a thin film of oil on the dough.
7. Let it stand on the counter for 90 mins to couple of hours.

Assembling the Baklava

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Once the dough is well rested, knead a bit and make small balls about the size of a golf ball.
3. Dust the rolling pin and rolling surface with flour. Keep on adding more flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking.
4. Roll the dough inward out trying to stretch the edges as much as possible. The dough should look transparent.
5. Try picking up the rolled out dough and stretch using the knuckles of your hands as you would do to a pizza dough.
6. In the mean time, butter a casserole dish or a rectangular baking tin.
7. Add your first rolled out piece of dough. Brush with butter generously and get ready for the next sheet of dough.
8. I used 5 sheets in each layer with two layers of nuts.
9. For the nuts mixture, put the nuts in the food processor and pulse until they are coarsely grounded.
10. Add sugar and the spices and mix together.
11. After you have placed 5 sheets of dough with each layer being brushed with butter, sprinkle the nuts mixture generously.
12. Go ahead with the next 5 sheets of dough and pour in the remaining nuts mixture.
13. Cover with the next set of phyllo sheets.
14. Sprinkle grounded pistachios on top. This step is optional.
15. Using a knife score through the baklava before you put it in a pre-heated 350 degrees oven.
16. Let it bake for 30 minutes.
17. Take it out, and using a knife further cut through the scored baklava before putting it back in the oven for another 30 minutes until the topmost layer is a golden brown.

For the Honey Syrup

1. In the mean time, prepare the honey syrup.
2. In a sauce pan, combine all the ingredients of the syrup and let it come to a boil.
3. Turn down the flame a bit and let it simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Once you take out the baklava from the oven, pour in the syrup generously. You’d be amazed to see how much syrup it absorbs.
5. Let it rest for 4-5 hours.
6. The baklava is now ready to be served and enjoyed.