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Classic Walnut Baklava Recipe

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★★★★

3.9 from 26 reviews

This classic Baklava recipe features flaky layers of buttery phyllo dough filled with chopped walnuts and drenched in a sweet lemon-scented sugar syrup for a crispy, decadent dessert perfect for sharing.

Ingredients

Scale

Syrup:

  • 1¾ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 Tablespoons corn syrup
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • ⅛ teaspoon sea salt

Nut Filling:

  • 3 cups shelled (raw walnuts, plus more for garnish)

Pastry:

  • 1 1/4 cup melted ghee (or 1 3/4 cups unsalted butter, clarified per instructions below, melted, and cooled slightly)
  • 2 8 ounces each packages phyllo dough, a total of 30 sheets, thawed

Instructions

  1. For the Sugar Syrup: In a saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, water, corn syrup, lemon juice, and sea salt.
  2. Stir the mixture to combine and dissolve the sugar.
  3. Boil: Place the saucepan over medium heat, and bring the mixture to a boil.
  4. Simmer: Once it boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes until it slightly thickens.
  5. Cool: Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature.
  6. For the Nut Filling: Finely chop the shelled, raw walnuts.
  7. For the Pastry: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
  8. Assembly: Brush a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish with some of the melted ghee or clarified butter.
  9. Layer: Place one sheet of phyllo dough into the baking dish, and brush it generously with the melted ghee or clarified butter. Repeat this process for 10 sheets, making sure to brush each sheet with butter.
  10. Sprinkle a portion of the chopped walnuts evenly over the 10th phyllo sheet.
  11. Layer: Continue layering the phyllo sheets and walnuts all the walnuts are used, finishing with a top layer of 10 buttered phyllo sheets.
  12. Cut: Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamond or square shapes.
  13. Baking: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven, and bake for about 45-55 minutes or until the baklava is golden brown and crispy.
  14. Pour: Remove the baklava from the oven, and immediately pour the cooled sugar syrup evenly over the hot baklava.
  15. Cool: Allow the baklava to cool completely before serving, which will allow it to absorb the syrup.

Notes

  • Clarify the butter by melting it and removing the milk solids to achieve the best flavor and texture if using butter instead of ghee.
  • Ensure the phyllo dough is thawed properly to avoid cracking or tearing.
  • Allowing the baklava to cool completely before serving helps it soak up the syrup fully for maximum flavor.

Keywords: baklava recipe, walnut baklava, phyllo dough dessert, Middle Eastern dessert, homemade baklava

Find it online: https://foodarohub.com/classic-walnut-baklava-recipe/