Baklava Recipe: Make It Yourself with Pistachio or Walnut

Making baklava yourself might seem tricky, but with ready-made yufka (or filo pastry) it's really just a matter of patience and butter. Below is the classic recipe with pistachio or walnut, plus the tricks for crispy layers that don't turn soggy. Here's how baklava is made.

Ingredients

1 pack yufka or filo pastry (thawed)

250 g unsalted butter, melted

300 g pistachios or walnuts, finely chopped

For the syrup: 400 g sugar, 300 ml water, a splash of lemon juice

How to Make It

First make the syrup: sugar, water and lemon juice for 10 to 15 minutes until it forms a light syrup. Let it cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Butter a baking dish. Lay down a sheet of pastry, brush with butter, and repeat until you have 8 to 10 layers.

Spread half of the nuts. Add another 4 to 5 buttered layers, then the rest of the nuts, and finish with 8 to 10 layers of pastry.

Cut with a sharp knife into diamonds or squares, all the way through to the bottom.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

Immediately pour the cold syrup over the hot baklava. That's the secret to crispy layers. Let it sit for at least a few hours before serving.

The Tricks

Cold syrup on hot baklava, never the other way around. Use real butter for the flavor. And don't make the syrup too sweet: good baklava is rich but balanced. You can read more about the types and origins in what is baklava and where does baklava come from.

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Frequently asked questions

What pastry do you use for baklava?

Traditionally yufka; filo pastry from the supermarket works fine too.

Pistachio or walnut?

Both are classic. Pistachio (fıstıklı) is the luxury version, walnut (cevizli) the one most commonly made at home.

Why isn't my baklava crispy?

Usually it's because warm syrup goes on warm baklava. Use cold syrup on hot baklava.