Even if we’re celebrating this holiday through virtual gatherings, it’s time to make the holiday sweeter with a homemade walnut baklava! Here’s an easy baklava recipe shared by APlus Pastry Chef Cengiz Canpolat. Gather your ingredients and get ready to roll some dough and prepare the syrup!
Ingredients:
For the Dough:
- 500 g baklava flour
- Wheat starch
- 5 g salt
- 2 eggs
- 100 g yogurt
- 10 g baking powder
- A little water
For the Filling:
- 500 g walnut pieces
- 500 g butter
For the Syrup:
- 1.5 kg granulated sugar
- 1 liter water
- 10 g lemon juice or juice of 1 lemon
Preparation:
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Prepare the Filling and Syrup:
- Melt the butter in a small pot.
- Lightly crush the walnuts with a rolling pin until they’re in small, bite-sized pieces. Avoid over-crushing to retain a satisfying texture.
- For the syrup, mix sugar, water, and lemon juice in a pot. Heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture reaches a syrupy consistency, then set aside to cool.
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Make the Dough:
- Combine the flour, eggs, salt, yogurt, baking powder, and a small amount of water. Knead until smooth and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into round balls (bezeler) and let them rest again for another 30 minutes.
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Rolling and Layering:
- Roll out each dough ball into thin sheets using a mixture of starch and flour to prevent sticking.
- Brush melted butter onto the bottom of a baklava pan and start layering the dough sheets, brushing each layer with melted butter.
- When halfway through the layers, spread the walnut filling evenly over the dough. Continue layering the remaining dough sheets, brushing each with butter.
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Cutting and Baking:
- Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamond shapes before baking.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C (340°F) for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
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Adding the Syrup:
- Pour the cooled syrup over the hot baklava right out of the oven, allowing it to soak thoroughly.
Enjoy your delicious, homemade walnut baklava, perfect for holiday celebrations. Afiyet olsun!
