Holiday Walnut Baklava with Homemade Syrup
INGREDIENTS
SYRUP:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water(optional – available at specialty stores)
- 2 tablespoons rose water(optional – available at specialty stores)
WALNUT BAKLAVA:
- 4 cups California walnuts, finely ground
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2-1/2 sticks (1-1/4 cups) melted butter, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pound (1 box) phyllo dough, thawed in refrigerator overnight
PREPARATION
SYRUP:
- Combine the sugar, water, lemon juice, and honey in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. When it reaches a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat, stir in the orange blossom water and rose water. Let cool.
WALNUT BAKLAVA:
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, add the ground walnuts, sugar, 4 tablespoons melted butter, and ground cinnamon. Stir to combine. Your filling should be coarse, almost like a streusel or a crumb topping.
- Lightly spray the inside of a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Working on a large clean surface, unroll the phyllo dough and lay flat. Place your baking pan on top of the phyllo and trim off any excess. (Cover the phyllo with a damp towel so it doesn’t dry out. Keep it covered as much as possible.)
- Layer phyllo dough in the dish, brushing each piece with butter before adding the next, and alternate with layers of filling as follows:
- 10 sheets of buttered phyllo, 3/4 cup filling
- 5 sheets of buttered phyllo, 3/4 cup filling
- 5 sheets of buttered phyllo, 3/4 cup filling
- 5 sheets of buttered phyllo, 3/4 cup filling
- 10 sheets of buttered phyllo
- Brush the top of the last layer of phyllo with melted butter. Cut into 4 wide strips, turn the pan and cut diagonally to form a diamond/hectogon pattern.
- Bake the baklava for 40-50 minutes or until it’s golden brown on top.
- Immediately pour the syrup over the baklava while it’s still hot. Let cool completely to room temperature.
- For best results, let sit at least 6-8 hours and ideally, overnight. Cover loosely with a cloth once it’s room temperature.
- Garnish with additional ground walnuts as desired. Baklava can be stored at room temperature for about one week.