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Aunt Hazel's Kitchen

Baklava.

The legendary Turkish dessert — crisp layered filo with pistachios, drenched in fragrant sugar syrup.

Time
1 hr prep + 1 hr baking
Serves
25–30 pieces
Season
All Year
Difficulty
Hard

The Story

Baklava is the golden calling card of Turkish cuisine to the world. But homemade baklava — fragrant with proper butter, heavy with pistachios, the syrup at exactly the right consistency — is something no bought version can match. This recipe demands patience; but every layer you butter will return to you with interest in the first bite.

Baklava is patience and butter, baked into something unforgettable.

Instructions

7 Steps

  1. Make the syrup: boil sugar and water, add lemon juice, simmer for 15–20 minutes and leave to cool completely.

  2. Preheat oven to 160°C. Lightly grease the baking tray.

  3. Layer 10 sheets of filo, brushing each one with melted butter.

  4. Spread the ground nuts evenly. Layer the remaining 20 sheets, buttering each one.

  5. Cut the baklava into diamond shapes. Pour any remaining butter over the top.

  6. Bake for 50–60 minutes until deep golden.

  7. As soon as it comes out of the oven, pour the cold syrup over the hot baklava. Rest for 3–4 hours before serving.

Hazel's Note

Always follow the hot baklava + cold syrup rule — never the same temperature or it will go soggy. Freeze briefly before cutting for cleaner diamond shapes. Walnuts work beautifully in place of pistachios.

Desserts · All Year · Hard · tatlı · özel gün · fırın · fıstıklı

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