Turkish Baklava Honey Syrup (Printer View)

Crisp layers of phyllo and nuts infused with fragrant honey syrup create a sweet, textured delight.

# Components:

→ Nuts Filling

01 - 1 1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts
02 - 1 cup finely chopped pistachios
03 - 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
04 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Phyllo & Butter

06 - 1 lb phyllo dough, thawed
07 - 1 cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Honey Syrup

08 - 1 cup honey
09 - 1 cup water
10 - 1 cup granulated sugar
11 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
12 - 1 strip lemon zest
13 - 1 cinnamon stick

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter.
02 - Combine walnuts, pistachios, almonds, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl; set aside.
03 - Unroll phyllo dough and cover with a damp towel to prevent drying.
04 - Place one sheet of phyllo in the dish and brush with melted butter; repeat to layer eight sheets.
05 - Sprinkle one-third of the nut mixture evenly over the layered phyllo.
06 - Layer and butter five more phyllo sheets, then add another third of the nuts.
07 - Add five more buttered phyllo sheets and sprinkle the final third of the nut mixture.
08 - Finish layering with approximately eight to ten buttered phyllo sheets.
09 - Using a sharp knife, cut the assembled pastry into diamond or square shapes.
10 - Bake for 45 minutes until golden and crisp.
11 - Combine honey, water, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan; bring to boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove zest and cinnamon stick; set aside.
12 - Pour warm syrup evenly over hot baked pastry immediately after removal from oven.
13 - Allow to cool completely for at least 4 hours to let syrup soak in before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast between shattered phyllo and syrup-soaked center creates a textural moment that feels almost luxurious on your tongue.
  • Watching those crispy layers turn golden is oddly meditative, and the whole kitchen smells like a spice market.
  • You'll have enough pieces to share, which means people actually remember that you made this.
02 -
  • Phyllo hates the cold and the heat equally—it needs to be room temperature when you work with it, otherwise it cracks at the folds.
  • Pouring cold syrup over hot baklava will make the pastry soggy and chewy instead of crispy, so this timing detail actually changes everything about the texture.
  • Resist cutting into it before those four hours are up; I know it's difficult, but the syrup needs to travel through every layer, and patience is the secret ingredient no one wants to hear about.
03 -
  • Buy phyllo dough from a reliable source and thaw it in the fridge overnight; defrosting it at room temperature will leave you with a sheet that's sweating and impossible to separate.
  • The difference between good baklava and forgettable baklava often comes down to using real honey and real butter—they're not expensive luxuries, they're the foundation of the whole thing.
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