How to make easy authentic Baklava at home?

Baklava is a popular sweet pastry in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Balkan cuisine. Layers of phyllo dough, chopped nuts, typically walnuts or pistachios, and a sweet syrup made with sugar, honey, and lemon juice are the components that go into making it. The nut mixture gives the phyllo dough layers a nutty and rich flavor and gives them a crispy texture when brushed with butter or oil. The sticky and sweet texture of the baklava is created by pouring the syrup over the baked pastry. Baklava is typically served as a dessert or as a sweet snack in diamond or square shapes.

You can make it at home using this recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 package of phyllo dough (16 ounces)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (walnuts, pistachios, or almonds)
• 1 cup melted unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 cup water

Instructions to make:

1. Set the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
2. Butter a baking dish measuring 9 x 13 inches.
3. Combine the chopped nuts, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves in a bowl.
4. Brush one sheet of phyllo dough with melted butter before laying it out in the prepared baking dish.
5. On top, add a second sheet of phyllo dough and butter it as well.
6. Keep doing this until you have eight layers of phyllo dough.
7. The phyllo layers should be covered with about 1/3 of the nut mixture.
8. Apply butter to a second layer of phyllo dough, then sprinkle more of the nut mixture on top.
9. Make sure to brush each layer of phyllo with butter as you layer until you use up all of the nut mixtures.
10. Use eight more sheets of phyllo dough for the final layer, brushing each one with butter.
11. Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamonds or squares.
12. The golden brown baklava should be baked for 45 to 50 minutes in a preheated oven.
13. Make the syrup while the baklava is baking. Combine the water, honey, and lemon juice in a saucepan. After bringing the mixture to a boil, lower the temperature and allow it to simmer for ten minutes.
14. After the baklava has finished baking, take it out of the oven and pour the syrup over it, covering all of the pieces. Serve the baklava and enjoy it after it has completely cooled.

Different Types:

There are also several common varieties of baklava:

Baklava with Pistachios: Instead of using other kinds of nuts, this kind of baklava is made with pistachio nuts. Turkey and Iran specialize in it.

Baklava with nuts: Walnuts are used instead of other kinds of nuts to make this kind of baklava. In Greece, it is a specialty.

Baklava with almonds: Almonds are used instead of other nuts to make this type of baklava.

Cashew Baklava: Cashew nuts are used instead of other kinds of nuts to make this kind of baklava.

Baklava with chocolate: Chocolate or cocoa powder is mixed into the nut mixture when making this type of baklava. It is a modern take on a traditional recipe.

Baklava with coconut: Shredded coconut is mixed into the nut mixture when making this kind of baklava.

Fruit Baklava: This kind of baklava is made with dried natural products like apricots, figs, or dates, blended in with the nut combination.

Each sort of baklava has its one-of-a-kind flavor and surface, however, they are totally portrayed by their layers of firm phyllo mixture and sweet nut filling, and they are generally served sprinkled with syrup or honey.