This classic Mom’s Baklava is a masterpiece of texture and flavor, featuring paper-thin sheets of filo pastry brushed with melted butter and layered with a fragrant mixture of ground almonds, walnuts, and cinnamon. The result is an incredibly crisp, shattering crust that gives way to a dense, nutty filling. The entire assembly is drenched in a warm, aromatic syrup made from honey, sugar, lemon peel, and a hint of cinnamon, ensuring every bite is moist and decadently sweet. Perfect for holiday gatherings, special celebrations, or as an elegant ending to a rich dinner, this dessert captures the warmth and comfort of home-style baking. It stores well, making it a wonderful treat to enjoy over several days.
Mom’S Baklava
Description
This classic Mom's Baklava is a masterpiece of texture and flavor, featuring paper-thin sheets of filo pastry brushed with melted butter and layered with a fragrant mixture of ground almonds, walnuts, and cinnamon. The result is an incredibly crisp, shattering crust that gives way to a dense, nutty filling. The entire assembly is drenched in a warm, aromatic syrup made from honey, sugar, lemon peel, and a hint of cinnamon, ensuring every bite is moist and decadently sweet. Perfect for holiday gatherings, special celebrations, or as an elegant ending to a rich dinner, this dessert captures the warmth and comfort of home-style baking. It stores well, making it a wonderful treat to enjoy over several days.Ingredients
Directions
-
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (149&# 194;°C). Spread ground almonds (and walnuts or pecans if using) in a shallow baking pan and toast for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
-
In a saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar, 3/4 cup water, and 1 cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil and cook until the mixture is clear. Add 1 1/2 cups honey and heat until well-blended. Remove from heat, discard the cinnamon stick, and let the syrup cool.
-
In a large mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel, and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Mash together with the back of a spoon to blend the citrus oils into the sugar. Stir in the cooled toasted nuts and mix well.
-
Butter a 9x13 inch baking pan. Thaw filo pastry if frozen. Brush the bottom of the pan with melted butter. Layer 3 sheets of filo, brushing each sheet with melted butter. Let the filo overlap the sides of the pan.
-
Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the nut mixture over the filo. Repeat this process, alternating 2 sheets of buttered filo and a layer of nut mixture, continuing until all nut mixture is used. End with a final layer of filo sheets.
-
After the second set of sheets, fold the filo hanging over the edges in half so they fit neatly in the pan. After placing the final sheet of filo, fold the hanging edges back onto the top sheet to create a neat, sealed package.
-
Using a very sharp knife or razor blade, cut through the top layer of filo to make lengthwise strips 1 1/2 inches wide. Then cut diagonally across the strips to create diamond shapes.
-
Increase oven temperature to 325 degrees F (163ðC). Bake the baklava for 1 hour, or until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.
-
Remove from oven and place the pan on a wire rack. While the baklava is still hot, use your sharp knife to re-cut the diamonds, ensuring the cuts go all the way through to the bottom.
-
Immediately pour the cooled honey syrup evenly over the hot baklava. Pour until the syrup stops sizzling or you run out of syrup. Let cool completely before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 1
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 1042.2kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 89.8g139%
- Saturated Fat 6.7g34%
- Cholesterol 0.0mg0%
- Sodium 0.0mg0%
- Total Carbohydrate 38.9g13%
- Dietary Fiber 22.5g90%
- Sugars 7.9g
- Protein 38.2g77%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
