Baklava is a delectable pastry that’s said to be known for its layers of crispy fillo dough and spiced walnut filling. The original recipe that this was adapted from was featured in a 1976 piece by Soad Mansour, Layla Risk, and Suzy Grindi. It’s one classic approach to making baklava.
The dish is prepared by layering sheets of fillo dough, brushed with melted butter, and scattered with a mixture of ground walnuts and Ceylon cinnamon. After baking until golden brown, simply drizzle the pastry with the sweet syrup made from sugar, water, and lemon juice. This recipe captures some of the baklava’s rich, buttery texture and sweet, nutty flavour. It’s a delicious treat that can be enjoyed across so many various cultures.
This recipe is adapted to include delicious Ceylon cinnamon.
In a nutshell, some key differences are that Ceylon Cinnamon is said to be pricier, with a milder flavour and less coumarin, making it healthier. Cassia is said to be cheaper but harsher, with more coumarin.
– Source: Ceylon Cinnamon: How Is It Different From Cassia Cinnamon?
Ingredients
- 1 pound fillo (strudel) dough
- 1/2 pound sweet butter, unsalted
- 1/2 pound ground walnuts
- 1 teaspoon ground Ceylon cinnamon
- 2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 cup water
Directions
- Melt the butter over very low heat.
- In a 9″ x 13″ pan, place 2 or 3 sheets of fillo and brush with butter.
- Continue the layers of fillo brushed with butter until half of the fillo has been used.
- Mix the nuts with the cinnamon and one tablespoon of the sugar, and spread over the fillo layers.
- Then add the rest of the fillo, 2-3 sheets at a time, brushing with butter until it is all used.
- With a sharp knife, cut into desired number of pieces and bake at 350 for 35 minutes until it is lightly browned.
- Combine the remainder of the sugar with the water in a medium saucepan and boil over medium heat for about 30 minutes, until it thickens.
- Add the lemon juice and boil for 10 minutes more, then remove from heat, add vanilla and let it cool.
- Pour the cold syrup over the hot baklava a few minutes after removing it from the oven.
