Greek baklava
Greek baklava is a delightful dessert made of crispy filo pastry layers, filled with mixed nuts and soaked in a sweet syrup. According to Greek tradition, baklava is made with exactly 33 layers of filo pastry, which carries symbolic meaning. This number is said to refer to the 33 years Jesus Christ lived.
Servings people
Ingredients
The Baklava
- 33 sheet filo pastry (for a 25x35 cm baking dish)
- 200 g butter (melted)
Filling
- 350 g walnuts
- 150 g almonds
- 50 g sugar (finely)
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 0.5 tsp nutmeg
- salt
Syrup
- 1 orange (the juice and the zest)
- 400 g sugar
- 125 g honey
- 250 ml water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Place the 33 sheet filo pastry under a damp tea towel, as they are very thin and dry out quickly, making them difficult to handle. Melt 200 g butter in a small pan.
- Chop or grind 350 g walnuts and 150 g almonds for the filling, but leave some coarse pieces for a bit of texture. Mix in 50 g sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon powder, 0.5 tsp nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Divide the mixture into 4 portions.
- Lightly grease a baking dish of about 25×35 cm with melted butter and place the first sheet of filo pastry in it. Brush it thinly with melted butter and repeat this process until you have 9 layers of filo pastry.
- Spread a layer of filling over the filo pastry. Place a sheet of filo pastry on top and brush with butter, repeating this with 5 more sheets. Add a new layer of filling.
- Place 5 sheets of buttered filo pastry on top, and on the last sheet a layer of filling. Make the next layer in the same way.
- On top of the last layer of filling, place another 8 sheets of filo pastry, each brushed with butter, including the top layer. Let the dish rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, so it will be easier to cut later.
- After cooling, cut the baklava into diamonds, triangles, or rectangles, whichever you find most attractive. Then bake the baklava in the oven for 50-60 minutes until golden brown.
- Meanwhile, prepare the syrup by bringing the juice and zest of 1 orange, 400 g sugar, 125 g honey, and 250 ml water to a boil in a pan. As soon as the baklava comes out of the oven, pour the hot syrup over it. Distribute it evenly so the syrup can penetrate well between the pieces.
- Let the baklava cool completely before serving. Enjoy your meal!
Notes
Greek Baklava tastes best when made a day in advance. The flavours then meld beautifully and the texture remains crispy. Serve in small pieces, as Greek Baklava is rich and sweet.
Nutrition
Calories: 2161kcalCarbohydrates: 244gProtein: 33gFat: 126gSaturated fat: 35gCholesterol: 108mgSugars: 145g
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Greek baklava, full of flavour
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