# ISO Baklava recipes



## colby92 (Oct 16, 2007)

Does anyone have a good baklava recipe?  I can never get mine just right.


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## Andy M. (Oct 16, 2007)

There are countless versions of this famous dish.  This is the version I grew up with in an Armenian household.  We called it paklave with a "P" rather than baklava with a "B".  
 
** 
*Paklava*

1 1/2 C Sugar
1 C Water
1 tsp Lemon Juice
3 C Chopped Walnuts
1Tb Cinnamon 
1/8 tsp Ground Clove
3/4 Lb Unsalted Butter
1 Lb Phyllo Dough *1*


Combine 1 1/4 cups of the sugar and the water in a sauce pan and bring it to a boil, stirring often to ensure melting of the sugar. Boil for 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and set it aside to cool.

Mix the remaining sugar, the nuts and spices in a bowl and set aside.

Melt the butter. Brush the bottom of a 13x9 pan with the butter. Working with the first stack of phyllo sheets, place one sheet into the pan and brush it lightly with butter. Repeat with the remaining sheets in the first stack.

Spread the nut and spice mixture over the surface of the phyllo in the pan.

Working with the remaining stack of phyllo sheets, continue the layering and buttering with the remaining sheets of phyllo. Do not butter the top of the last sheet.

Place the pan in the freezer for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 325º F.

Remove the pan from the freezer and cut the paklava into a diamond or square pattern. Pour the remaining butter over the top of the paklava. 

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until the top is a light golden brown. Turn off the oven and leave the pan in the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and tilt the pan so excess butter will drain to a corner. Remove the excess butter. (Removing one corner piece of paklava will facilitate this step.)

Completely cool the pan on a cooling rack.

Using a large spoon, spread the syrup over the paklava as evenly as possible. Allow the paklava to rest for 2 hours before serving. Drain excess syrup.

Store, loosely covered, at room temperature.

*1* Phyllo sheets measure 14” x 18” with approximately 20 sheets in a one pound package. Cut the stack of phyllo sheets in half, yielding two stacks of dough sheets containing approximately 20 sheets 14” x 9” each.


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## CharlieD (Oct 16, 2007)

Paklava and Baklava is the same thing. There is no P in Arabic language, rather P becomes B hence baklava instead of paklava. 

I have to say I do not make one my self and since I started to keep kosher 8 years or so ago I stopped buying it from this one source I had. But when I did it was most amazing Baklava I ever had in my life. I've never had anything this good before or after. At the time it was amazingly inexpensive and amazingly good. There is this place In Deer Born Michigan that has a Lebanese Bakery, if I am allowed I will post a link. The stuff they make is heavenly. 

Who do I ask about posting the link?


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## Andy M. (Oct 16, 2007)

CharlieD said:


> ...Who do I ask about posting the link?


 

No need to ask, Charlie.  Go ahead and post a link.


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## keltin (Oct 16, 2007)

I LOVE Baklava! There is a little corner convenience store and gas station a few miles up the road. The owners are from Greece, and they serve Gyros and Baklava year round. Nicest friendliest bunch of people, and I love the way that store smells. 

The Baklava is 99 cents for a pie sized slice, and it is heavenly. The Gyros are 3.25 loaded, or 2.99 for a pound of the meat only. Incredible stuff!


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## kitchenelf (Oct 16, 2007)

I prefer my baklava made with rose water - it makes a huge difference to my taste buds!


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## Angie (Oct 16, 2007)

I used to make it with my mom all the time...sheet after sheet of Phyllo dough kept under a damp towel...

AND..this is when she'd get the REAL butter out!  

I'll get her recipe for you.


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## CharlieD (Oct 17, 2007)

Here it is: Shatila Food Products Just looking at the front page makes me drooling. 

P.S. I recomend pistachio baklava not walnuts.

P.P.S. Wow, I just looked at the prices after all this years they went up maybe a dollar. Somebody please have some and tell me all about, I'll enjoy it thru you.


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## dudank (Oct 18, 2007)

I've tried many different kinds of baklava, from different areas of the world, but my favourite is what we call "Greek baklava" (maybe it's not its proper name, but it's amazing!!!) Its filling is made of roughly ground mix of almonds and hazels (you can even use hazels only, but never wallnuts - they are to "heavy" for this kind of baklava), raisins, biscuit bread crumbles and a tiny addition (1-2 tablespoons) of semolina. Instead of oil, I use a mix of oil and butter to sprinkle each layer. It's made thinner than traditional baklava, with more syrup (you can omit lemon because of raisins), and it's even better in warm-hot variant (warm syryp over hot baklava), for this one is supposed to be soft, not crispy. A small addition of vanilla won't spoil it too.  And you can eat a ton of it because it's light. 

Note: by "bisquit bread crumbles" I mean rebaked slices of simple bread, finely ground. They add a special note to this sort of baklava.

There is another interesting filling as well, like mix of wallnuts, eggs and yogurt in one of several types of Kosova baklava (it's rolled, not in layers), but it must have very sweet and dense syryp (because it's cut to slices). It's very tasty, but a bit too heavy - you can't eat much of it.


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## Mel! (Oct 18, 2007)

I love Baklava, but have never tried to make it myself.
Now that I have a receipe I think I will. 

Mel


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## Mel! (Oct 18, 2007)

Just one question Andy.
Does C in your receipe stand for cup?

Mel


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## Andy M. (Oct 18, 2007)

Mel! said:


> Just one question Andy.
> Does C in your receipe stand for cup?
> 
> Mel


 

Yes, Mel, C=Cup


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## Caine (Oct 18, 2007)

Here's the recipe I was given, by the same Lebanese chef who gave me the shawarma recipe.

*Baklava:*

1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped pistachios
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ cup sugar
1 Tbs rose water
1 lb package of Filo dough
1 lb clarified butter
*Syrup:*

1½ cups sugar
½ cup honey
1 cup water
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp orange zest
1 tsp rose water
*Preparation: *

Preheat oven to 325F. 

Combine nuts, sugar. cinnamon, allspice, and rose water, and divide into 3 equal amounts. Spread a folded sheet (12 x 9 inches) of Filo dough in a buttered 13 x 9-inch baking pan, then add three more folded sheets, brushing each layer with butter, adding a layer of the nut mixture after 4 folded sheets, 8 folded sheets, and 12 folded sheets of the filo dough, then finish with 4 more folded sheets, continuing to butter each layer. Cut diagonally across the pan, reverse the pan and repeat, to form baklava into diamond shaped pieces. Bake at 325F for 45 minutes or until golden brown. 

While the baklava is baking, prepare the syrup by combining the sugar, honey, cinnamon, orange zest and water in a saucepan and cooking over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add the rose water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and allow the syrup to cool. Pour syrup over baked baklava, making sure the dough is well saturated.


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## Angie (Oct 18, 2007)

Here is my mom's recipe!


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## Cherry2000 (Oct 18, 2007)

I used to live near Tarpon Springs, FL...very large Greek community there. The basic recipe for Baklava is usually pretty much the same (phyllo, cinnamon, sugar, walnuts, butter, etc).

What usuallu makes the difference is the glaze. In addition to the honey and water, there should be a little lemon in it. I have also substituted out some of the water and used a bit of Ammaretto or Narcello instead. really good!


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## Chopstix (Oct 19, 2007)

kitchenelf said:


> I prefer my baklava made with rose water - it makes a huge difference to my taste buds!


 
Hi Elfie,  I've tried baklava recipes with rose water but noticed that its flavor gets drowned out by the honey in the syrup.  Not sure if it's due to too small an amount of rosewater? Would you mind sharing your recipe for the syrup?  Thanks!


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## David Cottrell (Oct 19, 2007)

*Baklava and test batches.*

Two questions - first for Colby92 - could you describe a bit more what you mean by yours not being quite right? If you are treating the phylo with respect (kept under damp towel, buttered quickly and evenly, working fast, etc.) I'm guessing also it's the syrup you don't like. Could you describe? I messed around with bakalva quite a bit but it's been over a year. I found that I didn't like the rose or orange water and cut way back. Also, the sweetness was critical to me - worked on that so as not to be too sweet. The sweetness of the honey can vary brand to brand, home "grown" to home grown. Test batches of syrup are good to work with for taste. There are as many recipes as there are real baklava bakers. Don't be afraid of experimenting. Yes, I agree with the above - lemon juice is important. I'll try to find what I finally came up with. lol

CharlieD - serious question - I know nothing about kosher or keeping kosher. Is there something about baklava recipe that isn't kosher or would it be buying it from bakers who aren't certified kosher? Really would like to know even though I'm a heathern I do respect the beliefs and practices of others, if they are righteous and respectful as well. You are that I know.


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## David Cottrell (Oct 19, 2007)

*Wow!*



CharlieD said:


> Here it is: Shatila Food Products Just looking at the front page makes me drooling.
> 
> P.S. I recomend pistachio baklava not walnuts.
> 
> P.P.S. Wow, I just looked at the prices after all this years they went up maybe a dollar. Somebody please have some and tell me all about, I'll enjoy it thru you.


 
CharlieD, I just opened the link to the bakery - oh my - how do you resist? Baklava or (wa), mamoul with dates, muskabak ..... I must reprogram my little kitchen for destination middle east again. Got to go back and make baklava and mamoul again, plus some stuffed..... My My. Thanks Charlie.


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## Falkon (Oct 19, 2007)

kitchenelf said:


> I prefer my baklava made with rose water - it makes a huge difference to my taste buds!



YES!  This is how I make mine.  I usually grate orange peel and lemon peel into the syrup as well.


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## CharlieD (Oct 20, 2007)

David Cottrell said:


> CharlieD, I just opened the link to the bakery - oh my - how do you resist? Baklava or (wa), mamoul with dates, muskabak ..... I must reprogram my little kitchen for destination middle east again. Got to go back and make baklava and mamoul again, plus some stuffed..... My My. Thanks Charlie.


 

There is nothing specificaly None Kosher about Baklava, but, like you said it has to come from a certified place/bakery.

As far as to how I resist, simple, I just do not do it. Besides there are kosher baklava, not nearly as good, but never the less it is available.


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## simplicity (Oct 21, 2007)

Thanks for this thread.  I'm new and have a lot to learn.

The recipe Caine submitted specified 1 lb. clarified butter.  The recipe I had,  by a Greek Chef ,also specified l lb. clarified butter.

Since I'm just playing with it I will use unsalted - probably make a mess of it anyway.

Is there going to be a big difference in the outcome?


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## Chefellas (Nov 15, 2007)

I agree with Caine's recipe although here in Greeece we usually use just the walnuts. Pistachios make the baklava more middle eastern. Caine's recipe also has honey in it which really gives the syrup a nice flavor.Use unsalted clarified butter.


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## Bilby (Nov 15, 2007)

I have never made baklava but when I have eaten it (and loved it!!), it has always had cashews in it.


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## Andy M. (Nov 15, 2007)

Bilby said:


> I have never made baklava but when I have eaten it (and loved it!!), it has always had cashews in it.


 

There are many many variations of the recipe.  There are differences region to region and household to household.  Different nuts, honey or simple syrup or a combination, rose water or not, orange water or not, etc., etc.


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## Bilby (Nov 15, 2007)

Andy M. said:


> There are many many variations of the recipe. There are differences region to region and household to household. Different nuts, honey or simple syrup or a combination, rose water or not, orange water or not, etc., etc.


Think over here they cater to the marketplace more than anything.  Cashews sell better than walnuts or pistachios.  You get that though! Still, tastes nice whatever the reason.  I was just surprised at the recipes posted here.


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