The GüdDish Baklava

We studied 194 recipes from around the world and combined the elite 13. Then we built the BEST!

Baklava. The GüdDish.

Serves 16 · 40–50 min prep · 90–105 min total · 4 steps

Ingredients

Ingredients for Baklava

Phyllo

  • 1 lb phyllo dough
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling

  • 2 cups walnuts, finely chopped
  • 1 cup pistachios, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Syrup

  • 1 cup honey
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 tbs fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt

What the best recipes taught us

  • Keep unused phyllo under a dry towel. If it sits uncovered, it dries out and cracks.
  • Pour the cooled syrup over the hot baklava. If the syrup is hot on hot pastry, it goes soggy.

Method

  1. 1
    Honey lemon syrup simmering in a small saucepan
    1cgranulated sugar
    3/4cwater
    1choney
    1tbsfresh lemon juice
    1/4tspkosher salt

    Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×13-inch pan.

    In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, honey, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.

    Simmer 8 to 10 minutes until slightly thick. Cool.

  2. 2
    Finely chopped walnuts and pistachios tossed with cinnamon
    2cwalnuts, finely chopped
    1cpistachios, finely chopped
    1tspground cinnamon

    Finely chop the walnuts and pistachios.

    Toss with the cinnamon.

  3. 3
    Buttered phyllo in a pan with a nut layer, unused sheets under a towel
    1lbsphyllo dough
    1cunsalted butter, melted

    Keep unused phyllo under a dry towel so it does not crack.

    Lay 1 phyllo sheet in the pan and brush lightly with melted butter. Repeat until you have about 8 to 10 bottom layers.

    Scatter a thin layer of nuts. Add 2 buttered phyllo sheets. Repeat the nut layers until the nuts are gone.

    Finish with 8 to 10 buttered phyllo sheets on top. Press gently.

  4. 4
    Baked baklava scored into diamonds with cool syrup poured over

    With a sharp knife, score the top into diamonds or squares all the way through.

    Bake until deep golden, 40 to 50 minutes.

    Pour the cooled syrup over the hot baklava. Cool to room temperature before you cut and lift pieces.