Baklava Phyllo Nuts Syrup (Print Version)
Flaky phyllo layers filled with walnuts, pistachios, and almonds, sweetened with honey-cinnamon syrup for a perfectly crisp, sticky treat.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pastry and Filling
01 - 18-20 sheets phyllo dough (approximately 14 ounces)
02 - 2 cups unsalted butter, melted
03 - 2 cups walnuts, finely chopped
04 - 1 cup pistachios, finely chopped
05 - 3/4 cup almonds, finely chopped
06 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
→ Syrup
08 - 1 cup water
09 - 1 1/2 cups sugar
10 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
11 - 2 tablespoons honey
12 - 1 cinnamon stick
13 - 1 strip orange peel
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with melted butter.
02 - Combine chopped walnuts, pistachios, almonds, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Mix thoroughly to distribute spices evenly.
03 - Unroll phyllo dough and cover immediately with a damp kitchen towel to prevent drying out during assembly.
04 - Place 8 sheets of phyllo in the prepared dish, brushing each sheet generously with melted butter before adding the next sheet.
05 - Sprinkle approximately one-third of the nut mixture evenly across the buttered phyllo surface.
06 - Layer 4 more phyllo sheets, buttering each sheet. Spread half of remaining nuts evenly over the dough.
07 - Place 4 additional phyllo sheets, buttering each one. Sprinkle the final portion of nut mixture across the surface.
08 - Finish with remaining phyllo sheets, buttering each layer thoroughly as you stack them.
09 - Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the layered pastry into diamonds or squares, cutting completely through to the bottom.
10 - Bake for 35-40 minutes until the baklava turns deep golden brown and becomes crisp throughout.
11 - While baklava bakes, combine water, sugar, lemon juice, honey, cinnamon stick, and orange peel in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove cinnamon stick and orange peel; allow syrup to cool slightly.
12 - Immediately upon removing baklava from oven, slowly pour the warm syrup evenly over the entire surface. Allow to cool completely for several hours to absorb syrup fully before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast between impossibly crisp layers and syrup soaked middle is something you have to taste to understand
- Once you master the buttering technique, you will feel like you have been making this for decades
02 -
- Hot syrup on hot pastry makes everything soggy, while cold syrup on hot pastry creates the perfect texture
- Cutting all the way through before baking is non negotiable if you want clean edges and intact pieces
03 -
- Brush butter all the way to the edges of each phyllo sheet, because dry edges will burn while the rest bakes perfectly
- Pour the syrup slowly in a circular motion rather than dumping it in one spot, so every layer gets equal attention