Traditional Greek Baklava with Honey, Walnuts & Cinnamon
Layers upon layers of paper-thin, crispy golden phyllo pastry packed with spiced crushed walnuts and pistachios, drenched in a fragrant citrus-scented Greek wildflower honey syrup.
Ingredients
Phyllo & Nut Filling
- 1 package (450g) phyllo pastry sheets, thawed
- 300g raw walnuts, finely chopped
- 150g raw pistachios or almonds, finely chopped
- 200g unsalted high-quality butter, melted and clarified
- 2 tsp ground Ceylon cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 3 tbsp fine sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom (optional)
Citrus Honey Syrup
- 1.5 cups water
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup pure Greek thyme or wildflower honey
- Peel of 1 orange and 1 lemon
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp orange blossom water (optional)
Garnish
- 3 tbsp bright green pistachios, finely ground
Instructions
Cook the Aromatic Honey Syrup First
In a saucepan, combine water, sugar, honey, orange peel, lemon peel, and the cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 10-12 minutes until slightly syrupy. Stir in lemon juice, remove from heat, and let it cool completely.
Prepare the Spiced Nut Filling
Pulse walnuts and pistachios in a food processor until finely chopped (not powdery). In a bowl, toss the nuts with cinnamon, ground cloves, sugar, and cardamom.
Layer the Buttered Phyllo Sheets
Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Brush a 9x13-inch baking pan with melted butter. Place 8 sheets of phyllo on the bottom, brushing each individual sheet thoroughly with clarified butter.
Alternate Nut Layers and Top Sheets
Sprinkle 1/3 of the nut mixture over the pastry. Top with 4 buttered phyllo sheets, add another 1/3 nuts, 4 more buttered sheets, remaining nuts, and finish with 8-10 buttered phyllo sheets on top.
Cut Diamonds, Bake & Drench with Cool Syrup
Using a very sharp knife, score deep diamond patterns into the pastry all the way through to the bottom. Bake at 160°C for 50-55 minutes until deeply golden and crispy. Immediately pour the completely COOLED honey syrup evenly over the boiling-HOT baklava. Allow to absorb for at least 4 hours before garnishing with pistachio dust.
Nutrition Facts
* Based on a 2,000 calorie diet.