Homemade Mixed Nut Baklava
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Yield: One 9x13 pan of baklava; about 20 pieces
 
adapted from John's Jotttings
ingredients:
Baklava
  • 2 pounds phyllo dough (approx. 40 sheets)*
Nut mixture
  • 2 cups finely chopped walnuts
  • 2 cups finely chopped unsalted cashew nuts
  • 1½ cups finely chopped unsalted pistachio nuts
  • 1 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ¾ pound unsalted butter (melted)
Syrup**
  • 1¼ cups sugar
  • 1¼ cups honey
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 large vanilla bean, split
  • 1 long strip of orange peel, pith scraped off
directions:
Build the Baklava:
  1. Grease a 13×9 pan (bottom & sides) and set aside. Mix well the nuts, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place a pan of water on the bottom rack.
  3. Set aside one full-size sheet of phyllo dough. Cover with plastic wrap.
  4. Cut remaining phyllo sheets into 13×9 sheets (or just measure your pan and cut the sheets to match the inside dimensions). With a sharp knife you should be able to cut all of the phyllo at the same time. You will most likely have a lot of left over phyllo. Try finding another dish where you could use the pieces of leftover phyllo dough. You could shred it and make THIS!
  5. Carefully lay the full-size phyllo sheet into the greased pan, folding over the pan edges. With a pastry brush, liberally apply melted butter.
  6. Lay a cut sheet of phyllo into the bottom of the pan, and with a pastry brush liberally apply melted butter. Repeat 9 more times, so that you have the one full sheet and 10 smaller sheets as your bottom layer.
  7. Sprinkle 2 cups of the nut mixture into the pan. Lay 6 more sheets of phyllo on top, making sure to liberally apply the melted butter between each sheet. Repeat this 3 more times, so that you have 4 separate layers of the walnut mixture. For the top layer place as many phyllo sheets on top as you have remaining, again making sure to liberally butter between each sheet. Using a sharp plastic spatula, carefully fold over the large sheet of phyllo that should still be extended over the edge back onto the top, so that you can see down the inside edges of the pan. In effect you now have one big baklava package wrapped with your initial phyllo sheet. Using a very, very sharp serrated knife, carefully score the baklava into whatever shape you want. A diamond pattern is the traditional shape. Try to cut about half-way down into the baklava when you do this.
  8. Bake for 2½ to 3 hours at 300 degrees until golden brown.
  9. Let the baklava cool completely. Strain the syrup, then reheat until hot. Slowly pour over the cooled baklava. Cover with plastic wrap and let the baklava absorb the syrup for at least 4 hours. Can be kept refrigerated for up to a month.
Make the Syrup
  1. Combine all ingredients in a medium pot, scraping the vanilla bean into the mixture and throwing in the pods. Heat over medium high heat. Stir occasionally until sugar has dissolved.
  2. Boil for 10 minutes, stir occasionally. Once boiled for 10 minutes, remove from heat and let cool. Do not strain yet, let the flavors steep in the honey, water and sugar until the baklava has baked and cooled. When baklava is completely cooled, as mentioned above, strain the syrup then pour it all over the baklava, cover it, and let it sit for at least 4 hours before serving.
notes:
*When working with phyllo be sure to work fast and keep the unused portion covered with plastic wrap at all times, as it tends to dry out pretty fast. Also, be sure to carefully follow the defrosting instructions on the phyllo – the sheets will stick together if you try to do a “speed defrost”
** Pour hot syrup on cooled baklava instead of cool syrup on hot baklava. This prevents a soggy bottom.
Recipe by parsley sage sweet at https://parsleysagesweet.com/2011/06/27/phyllo-fail-baklava-success-and-a-giveaway/