Greek · Free recipe
Honey Walnut Baklava
Dozens of paper-thin phyllo sheets brushed with butter bake into crisp, flaky layers around a spiced walnut filling. Cool syrup poured over the hot pastry soaks in with a satisfying sizzle, perfumed with honey, lemon peel, and a stick of cinnamon.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 45 min
- Serves
- 24
- Level
- Medium
Method
-
Simmer the water, 3/4 cup sugar, honey, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel for 10 minutes, stir in the lemon juice, and let the syrup cool completely.
-
Heat the oven to 325F and toss the walnuts with the 1/3 cup sugar, ground cinnamon, and cloves.
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Trim the phyllo to fit a 9 by 13-inch pan, brush the pan with butter, and layer 8 sheets, brushing each one lightly with butter; keep the unused sheets under a damp towel.
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Scatter one third of the nut mixture over the phyllo, then layer 4 more buttered sheets; repeat twice more with the remaining nuts, and finish with 8 buttered sheets on top.
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Using a sharp knife, cut all the way through the layers into 24 diamonds or squares before baking.
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Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the top is deep golden and the layers look crisp and separated at the edges.
-
Pour the cooled syrup evenly over the hot baklava straight out of the oven, then leave it uncovered at room temperature for at least 6 hours to soak before serving.
Zest note from the test kitchen
Always pair hot pastry with cool syrup or cool pastry with hot syrup; when both are hot, the phyllo turns soggy instead of absorbing the syrup and staying crisp.
