My Family's Traditional Baklava Recipe - How to Make Baklava! (2024)

FAQs

How was the original baklava made? ›

The origins of baklava date back to ancient times. Around the eighth century B.C.E., people in the Assyrian Empire, which spread across parts of modern-day Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Syria and Turkey, arranged unleavened flatbreads in layers, with chopped nuts in between, to be enjoyed during special events.

The mixture is sweetened using honey, syrup or sugar and flavored with a generous dusting of spices, typically cinnamon and nutmeg. The pastry is then brushed with butter or clarified butter and baked until crisp and golden brown. The baking process is what really gives baklava its crisp and flaky texture.

Soggy baklava is a result of the butter brushing, not the sauce. Cool completely before serving and don't store in the fridge, or covered. Leave it uncovered on the counter, or it will become soggy. Don't take this anywhere unless you want to be forced to make it every single year for the rest of your life.

You can purchase clarified butter or make it yourself. Or you just melt a few sticks of (unclarified) butter to use in this recipe, which will still work great. Just be sure to regularly whisk the butter while assembling the baklava so that it does not separate.

What is traditional baklava made of? Traditional Turkish baklava, also known as fistikli baklava or pistachio baklava is typically made of phyllo dough, finely crushed pistachios, butter, and a simple syrup made of sugar, water, and lemon juice.

In the Mediterranean and the Middle East, baklava is ubiquitous. Though it can be made with many variations, the essential parts are the same: paper-thin layers of phyllo pastry, a sweet filling made with chopped nuts, and a coating of honey or syrup.

Authentic, original and the best baklava should be made and cooked by professional Turkish chefs with special, traditional recipes with the best ingredients. You can buy the world's best baklava only from Turkey.

It has strong religious roots.

In Greece, it is traditionally made with thirty-three layers of dough which each layer representing one year of the life of Christ. It is also a common dessert for Muslims during Ramadan, and Eid ul-Fitr, as well as Pascha and Christmas for Christians.

As stated before, baklava mostly gets hard to chew and brittle, falling apart easily. For those who use a lot of honey or sugar syrup on their baklava, it can start to go bad when it gets too soggy to hold. Other signs to look out for is if it starts to fade in color or discolor altogether.

How do you keep baklava crunchy? ›

Cool completely: After pouring the syrup, let the baklava cool completely. This will allow the syrup to penetrate the layers of phyllo pastry and set up properly [3]. Store properly: To maintain the crispiness of the baklava, store it in an airtight container at room temperature.

Bake the baklava for 40 to 45 minutes. The top should be golden brown, and you should hear it bubbling. Let the baklava cool for 5 minutes; then use a spoon to drizzle the syrup into all of the cuts. Allow the baklava to cool completely before enjoying, a few hours or overnight.

Butter: Professional bakers prefer to use clarified butter for their baklava, but regular unsalted butter will do for most home cooks. If you happen to have clarified butter or ghee, you can use that.

It is worth noting that the pastry will start to soften after a day or so, even if the Baklava is kept at room temperature, as the pastry absorbs the moisture from the syrup that it has been drenched in. So generally we would suggest that the Baklava is at its best if eaten within a day of being made.

Neither Greeks nor Turks originated Baklava, as much as we both would like to lay claim. The origins of baklava date to 8th century BC Assyria, In their tradition, it may be made with any of pistachios, walnuts, or almond, but is flavoured with cardamom.

Turkish baklava is traditionally soaked in a sweet syrup made with a combination of water, sugar, and lemon juice. On the other hand, Greek baklava may use a syrup made with honey, as well as a combination of sugar, water, and honey flavored with spices like cloves and cinnamon.

Persian baklavas mostly have the dough made from flour and eggs, while Greek baklava is made from phyllo dough. 2. Syrup in Iranian baklava: water, sugar, rose water and saffron. Greek baklava syrup usually consists of water, sugar, vanilla, and honey.

Some historians still claim that the baklava recipe has its roots in Ancient Greece, where they made the gastrin, a sweet very similar to the current baklava. Others say that baklava originates from the Byzantine era.