CLASSIC TURKISH WALNUT BAKLAVA

What is Classic Turkish Walnut Baklava?

Baklava or Baklawa is made in so many different countries such as Greece, Hungary and the Middle East, and varies from culture to culture, but it is Turkey that is most famous for its delicacy.

It is a traditionally sweet dessert made up of multiple filo sheet layers, layered on top of one another, filled with crushed nuts, mainly walnuts, and tasty syrup, perfect for your sweet tooth! It is a dessert that is ready for many occasions, and typically essential as part of Ramadan and Eid Al Futr celebrations! 

Ingredients

Baklava

2 cup Walnuts

1 Pack Phyllo Pastry

1 tsp Cinnamon powder

1 tsp Cardamom powder

1 cup Melted butter to brush layers

1⁄2 cup Melted Butter (to pour on top)

Simple Syrup

2 cup Sugar

1 slice of lemon

1⁄2 Lemon Juice

1 cup Water

Instructions

Place the walnuts in a food processor and blitz until you have fine granules. (See Instagram video for this)

Mix the cardamom and cinnamon powder with the walnuts and set aside ready to use. 

Melt the butter and using a brush, grease a baking dish. Cut the phyllo sheets into half so that it fits the base of the baking dish. Cover the second half and set aside so that it does not dry out while exposed to air. 

Start placing 2 sheets at a time at the base of the baking tray and brush the melted butter all over so that the phyllo sheet is covered and not dry. This ensures that all layers are separated, fluffy and crispy when cooked. 

Repeat this process until half of the sheets have been used up, midway through layer the crushed walnuts and continue repeating the same process of layering the phyllo sheets with butter. 

Once all the sheets have been used up, pour the last half a cup of butter on top and create the cuts in the baklava. 

Bake in a preheated oven on 160c fan for about 40 minutes or until golden. 

Meanwhile make the simple syrup by putting all the ingredient in a saucepan and cooking down for 10-15 minutes on medium heat. 

Test the syrup by letting a drip from the spoon, the last few drops should look like it takes longer for it to drip. This meant that the syrup is ready. 

Pour the hot syrup on the hop baklava and serve up.