Walnut - Pistachios Baklava: Mediterranean Dessert

Hello Foodies,

Today I am sharing a Mediterranean dessert: Baklava. It is very delicious and mouthwatering dessert. Baklava is made with phyllo sheets filled with nuts and dipped in sugar syrup. Baklava can be made with different filling like almond, pistachios, cashews, walnut etc. I made this dessert with my personal favorite combination walnut and pistachios. Enjoy this yummy dessert.

Yield: 30 -35 pieces

Ingredients:

Phyllo sheets – 1 pc (store bought)

Melted butter – 2 cups

For fillings:

Walnuts – 2 cups

Pistachios – 2 cups

Cinnamon powder – ½ tsp

Cardamom powder – ½ tsp

Salt – a pinch

Granulated sugar – ½ cup

For sugar syrup:

Sugar – 2 ½ cups

Water – 2 cups

Lemon juice – 2tbsp

Cardamom powder – a pinch

Directions:

1) First we make sugar syrup because we need cold sugar syrup which we pour on baklava. In a deep bottom pan add sugar, water and cardamom powder. Once the water start boiling lower the flame. Now add lemon juice. Adding lemon juice in sugar syrup will avoid sugar from its crystallization. We need 2 string sugar syrup for this recipe. Let the sugar syrup boiling for about 8-10 mins. Take a spoon test to know the consistency of syrup.

2) To make the filling we need food processor. Add all the above mentioned ingredients for filling in food processor and blend it in course powder.   Save some filling for garnishing also.
3) Preheat the oven at 350 degree F.

4) Working with phyllo sheet is very difficult because phyllo sheets are very delicate and they dry out very quickly so we need to cover it with damp cloth.

5) We need 9*13 baking pan for making the baklava. Cut the phyllo sheets with the shape of baking pan and cover it with damp cloth. We make 3 layers of 10- 10 phyllo sheets and between every layer we add walnut pistachio filling.

6) Apply melted butter in the bottom of pan and place one phyllo sheet. Carefully spread butter on placed phyllo sheet. We need to apply butter on every phyllo sheet before place another phyllo. Repeat this process with 10 sheets.

7) On the 10th sheets apply butter and evenly spread walnut pistachios filling on it.

8) Again place the 10 phyllo sheets and repeat the same process.

9) On next 10th sheet, again add filling and again place 10 phyllo sheets. Cut it on your desire shape diamond or square.

10) Apply butter on the top phyllo sheet and bake it in oven for about 25- 30 mins or until golden in color.

11) Once top phyllo sheet is golden in color take out the pan from oven and pour the sugar syrup on the hot baklava and let the sugar syrup combine completely in baklava.

12) We need to pour the syrup on hot baklava unless out dessert become soggy.

13) Garnish the top with filling and serve.

14) You can eat the baklava with vanilla ice-cream.