Honey Pistachio Baklava

Baklava is a popular Middle Eastern dessert. It’s made with thin, crisp layers of buttered filo sheets filled with a sweet pistachio mixture. The baklava is baked crisp, then soaked in a sugar syrup that just melts in the mouth. This simple and easy recipe for honey pistachio baklava makes the most delicious baklava you will ever taste.

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If you know Middle Eastern food, then you know baklava. And, if you have eaten enough baklava, then you can pick a good baklava just by looking at it. These days, everybody makes baklava in many different variations. And while I like the variations and choices, what bothers me is that not everyone understands the true characteristics of a baklava.

So, what is good baklava?

It’s not just layers of filo soaked in sugar syrup. Nor is it supposed to be dripping syrup when you eat it. In fact, a slice of good baklava can be held between your fingers without any sugar syrup dripping. And when you bite into it, you should feel the crispy filo layers melt in the mouth.

You get the right texture and consistency by making sure you have just the right amounts and balance. For example, the right amount of butter makes those layers crispy. But too much butter will soak in, making them soggy. Also, you want just enough sugar syrup to soak those layers and disappear. Too much sugar syrup will end up at the bottom of the pan, making the bottom layers soggy and creating an unnecessarily sweet dessert.

Now that I have told you what good baklava is, how about I give you my perfect honey pistachio baklava recipe? I really wanted to make a video, but things didn’t work out as planned this time. So, I will make a video, but at a later date, whenever possible.

Ingredients and substitutes

• Filo—I always use store-bought filo, but you are free to experiment with fresh filo. Fresh filo is a bit harder to work with when layering, but it’s still possible.
• Pistachio – These are expensive, I know! But they do taste delicious, especially in baklava. For a more affordable alternative, you can use half cashews, almonds, walnuts, or a combination of them.
• Sugar and honey—Sugar gives the syrup a nice consistency and flavor compared to honey. However, you can also use only honey. Honey makes a very heavy syrup. I like reducing the sugar by half the honey to balance the sweetness.
• Lemon – Helps cut down the sweetness, so do not omit it. And no, it won’t make it lemony.
• Zest—This is optional, but I think it adds that lemon zing, which always helps to balance out the flavors.
• Butter – Makes the layers crisp when baked, which prevents the sugar syrup from making them soggy. Makes sense?
• Rosewater—Now, note that this is not the same as a rose extract. Rose extract is concentrated, so you need only a drop or two.
  If you don’t have rose water, it’s okay. You can omit it completely or use a drop of rose extract for flavoring.
• Cinnamon – Adds a hint of flavor without overpowering. I hate it when I bite into baklava; all I get is the taste of cinnamon. This is not cinnamon baklava, so the cinnamon flavor should barely exist.

Step-by-step instructions

Prepare

• Make sure the filo pastry is thawed – keep it wrapped to prevent drying out.
• Preheat the oven to 170 °C / 340 °F.
• Melt butter and cool to room temperature.

Make syrup

• In a saucepan, combine sugar, honey, lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon stick, rose water, and water.
• Boil on medium-low until sugar is dissolved.
• Once all the sugar is dissolved, let it simmer on low for 5 minutes.
• Then, sieve through a strainer to remove zest and cinnamon stick.
• Set aside to cool completely.

Make the nut mixture

• Pulse the pistachio nuts in a food processor.
• Remove some while still coarse and pulse the remaining some more for a finer consistency. This will add a nice texture and taste.
• Next, add sugar and combine well. Set aside.

Assembly

• Use an 8 x 10 rectangular pan or a 10 x 10-inch square pan.
• Lightly brush with melted butter.
• Cut the stack of filo into 4. Now, you have 12 filo sheets. Measure the filo to your pan and cut off any excess.
• Place the first sheet of filo in the pan.
• Lightly brush with melted butter.
• Continue to add five sheets, lightly brushing with melted butter.
• Then, sprinkle 1/4 of the pistachio mixture.
• Now, add three layers of filo and lightly brush each with melted butter.
• Followed by another 1/4 of the pistachio mixture.
• Continue layering three filo and pistachio until you have used up all the pistachio mixture.
• Finally, add the last five layers of filo for the top.
• So you should have:
  • 5 filo sheets + nuts then
  • 3 filo sheets + nuts, then3 filo sheets  + nuts again
  • 3 filo sheets + nuts and final
  • 5 filo sheets. (This doesn’t have to be exact)
• Brush the last and top of the filo with any remaining melted butter—this will give it a nice golden top.

Score and bake

• Using a sharp knife, cut the layers into squares.
• I prefer to cut a line in the middle in both directions and then cut more on either side of those lines.
• Place the baklava in the preheated oven and bake until golden, for about 30 minutes.

Syrup and cool

• Once the baklava has been baked, let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
• Then, pour the prepared, cooled sugar/honey syrup evenly over the top.
• This will soak into the layers while the baklava is cooling.

Storage

• This baklava will stay at room temperature for up to a week.
• I don’t like to keep it in the fridge as the butter cools, making it dry.
• You can freeze baklava for up to a month. Then, thaw it in the fridge overnight and on the countertop before you serve it.

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