Delicious Baklava Recipe – Perfect for Dessert Time
Welcome to my baklava recipe! I’m here to share with you one of the most delicious and easy-to-make desserts that will impress your family and friends. Baklava is a traditional dessert that has been enjoyed for centuries in the Middle East, Mediterranean, and Balkans. It’s a sweet pastry made of phyllo dough, nuts, spices, and syrup.
My baklava recipe is slightly different than others – it’s made without honey. I know honey is often used in baklava recipes, but trust me; this substitution doesn’t compromise its taste at all. Instead of honey, I use Karo light corn syrup combined with rose water and lemon juice to create a sweet syrup that complements the rich flavors of the walnuts and buttery phyllo pastry.
I’ve always loved baking, and my passion extends to creating unique variations of traditional desserts. After many attempts at refining this recipe, I’m excited to share it with you today. Do your taste buds a favor by indulging in this authentic Turkish baklava recipe made without honey but with an added infusion of rose water – as a result, you’ll find our homemade baklavas lighter on sweetness but more aromatic on flavor!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Baklava is a dessert that has been enjoyed for centuries and is loved by people all over the world. This rich, sweet pastry has a perfect balance of textures and flavors, with layers of crispy phyllo dough and a sweet, nutty filling. Many traditional baklava recipes are made with honey syrup, but my recipe uses Karo light corn syrup instead.
There are several reasons why you’ll fall in love with this delicious recipe. For one, the corn syrup gives the pastry a lighter and fresher taste than traditional honey baklava. It’s also a great option for vegans who want to enjoy a classic Mediterranean pastry without using honey.
Another reason why you’ll love this recipe is that it’s incredibly easy to make. With just a few basic ingredients – unsalted butter, sugar, walnuts, phyllo dough, and Karo light corn syrup – anyone can make this delicious dessert at home. Additionally, if you’re feeling adventurous or want to mix things up a bit, you can substitute the walnuts for pistachios or almonds to create your own unique flavor.
This recipe is also perfect for anyone with a busy schedule because it doesn’t require any special equipment or techniques. All you need are some basic baking skills and an oven. And the best part? You can make this baklava ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
But my favorite thing about this recipe is how it brings people together. Baklava is a staple in Mediterranean cuisine and is often shared with family and friends during special occasions. As someone who grew up in Israel, I have many cherished memories of enjoying homemade baklava with loved ones.
In conclusion, whether you’re looking for a quick and easy dessert recipe or want to indulge in a sweet treat that’s perfect for sharing with others, my baklava recipe made with Karo light corn syrup is bound to delight your taste buds and bring joy to your heart.
Ingredient List
Phyllo Dough: This recipe requires 1 lb of phyllo dough. Phyllo dough is thin sheets of unleavened flour dough typically used for pastries such as baklava. It can usually be found in the refrigerated or frozen section of grocery stores.
Unsalted Butter: You’ll need 1 cup of unsalted butter, melted. I prefer using unsalted butter in my recipe to better control the amount of salt, but salted butter is fine to use if that’s all you have on hand.
Walnuts: This recipe calls for 4 cups of chopped walnuts. You can use other nuts like pistachios or almonds if you prefer. Toasting the nuts before chopping them gives a nuttier flavor and crunchier texture to your baklava.
Sugar: You will need 1 cup of sugar for the nut mixture and another cup of sugar for the syrup. I recommend using granulated white sugar.
Karo Light Corn Syrup: This ingredient is important because it helps prevent crystallization in the honey syrup that is typically used in making baklava. If you want to avoid honey for personal or vegan reasons, corn syrup is a good alternative.
Rose Water: Rose water is a fragrant floral water commonly used in Middle Eastern desserts, including baklava. It is optional but adds a unique flavor to your baklava.
Lemon Juice: Adding lemon juice to the simple syrup helps balance out the sweetness and adds a bright flavor to your baklava.
In summary, here’s what you’ll need:
– 1 lb phyllo dough
– 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
– 4 cups chopped walnuts
– 2 cups granulated white sugar
– ½ cup Karo light corn syrup
– 2 teaspoons rose water (optional)
– Juice from half a lemon
The Recipe How-To
Now that we have gathered all our ingredients and tools, it is time to get started on making the best baklava you ever tasted. Don’t be intimidated by the phyllo dough; once you get comfortable working with it, making baklava becomes a breeze.
Step 1: Preparing the Walnuts
The first step is to prepare the walnuts. Start by crushing them coarsely with a rolling pin or pulsing them in a food processor. It is important not to make them too fine, as the small bits tend to burn when baking.
Once you have your desired consistency, mix the walnuts with sugar and ground cinnamon. This mixture is going to be used as the filling for our baklava.
Step 2: Layering Phyllo Dough
Brush melted unsalted butter onto a baking dish and start layering phyllo dough sheets on top of it, brushing each sheet with melted butter before adding another.
Keep repeating this process until you have laid half of the phyllo sheets, usually around 20-22 sheets depending on how thin they are. Make sure to cover any unused phyllo dough with a damp towel to avoid drying out.
Step 3: Adding Filling
Now that we’ve layerd enough phyllo dough, sprinkle half of our walnut mixture onto it evenly.
Continue adding and brushing melted butter on each layer until all the remaining of the phyllo dough is used up. Then sprinkle the rest of the walnut mixture onto it.
Tip:
Make sure to press down gently between each layer to keep everything together and prevent air pockets from forming inside.
Step 4: Cutting and Baking
Preheat your oven at 350°F (180°C).
Cut the baklava into diamond or square shapes using a sharp knife or pastry cutter. A quick tip here: If you prefer easy cutting without messing things up, make sure to chill your baklava in the fridge or freezer for about 30 minutes before cutting.
Bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown and crisp on top.
Step 5: Making Syrup
While our baklava is baking away in the oven, let’s make syrup honey by mixing light corn syrup, sugar, water, lemon juice, and rose water in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring constantly with a whisker. Once boiled, let it simmer for five more minutes until thickened slightly then remove from heat.
Step 6: Applying Syrup
As soon as you remove your baked baklava from the oven using heat-proof gloves or mitts, immediately pour hot syrup all over evenly.
Let it soak into every slice thoroughly then set aside to cool completely before serving.
If you like extra crunchy baklava, pour some extra caramelized sugar syrup over warm baklava just before serving.
Making homemade baklava can look challenging
Substitutions and Variations
Baklava is a versatile dessert, and there are many ways to modify the recipe to suit your taste preferences or dietary needs. Here are a few ideas for substitutions and variations:
1. Vegan Baklava: To make baklava vegan-friendly, simply replace the butter with a vegan butter substitute of your choice. You can also use agave nectar or maple syrup as a replacement for honey in the syrup.
2. Pistachio Baklava: Instead of using walnuts, try substituting pistachios for a different flavor and texture. Simply swap out the walnuts with chopped pistachios in the filling.
3. Rose Water Baklava: For a floral twist on traditional baklava, add a tablespoon of rose water to the syrup mixture.
4. Filo Pastry Baklava: Although phyllo dough is commonly used for baklava, you can also use filo pastry as an alternative. It will have a slightly different texture but will still be delicious.
5. Honey Walnut Baklava: If you’re feeling traditional but still want to skip the honey, you can make a simple syrup with Karo light corn syrup instead of honey and use walnuts for the filling.
These variations offer just a few ways to get creative with your baklava recipe. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different fillings and flavors; after all, the best baklava is one that suits your own taste buds.
Serving and Pairing
Baklava is a beautiful and decadent dessert that can be served in a variety of different ways. Traditionally, baklava is served at room temperature, but it can also be chilled for a refreshing twist on this classic dessert.
When serving baklava, it’s important to pair it with the right beverage. Turkish coffee is a classic choice, as the rich and strong flavor perfectly complements the sweetness of the dessert. Tea, both hot or iced, is another great beverage option that can help balance out the richness of the baklava.
If you’re feeling adventurous, try pairing your baklava with a glass of rose water or some other floral cordial. The light and fragrant flavors in these beverages will really bring out the subtle nutty notes in your baklava.
Finally, don’t be afraid to get creative when presenting your baklava. You can cut it into small bite-sized portions and serve it on a platter along with fruit slices, or go all out by serving it in individual paper cups drizzled with additional syrup and topped with fresh whipped cream.
No matter how you choose to serve your baklava, it’s sure to impress any guest and offer a delicious end to any meal.
Make-Ahead, Storing and Reheating
Now that your delicious baklava is ready, you might be wondering how to store and reheat it or if you can prepare it ahead of time for parties or special occasions. The good news is that baklava stays fresh for a long time and can be easily made ahead of time.
If you plan to serve the baklava the same day you make it, let it cool down to room temperature before serving. If you want to store it for later, allow it to cool completely but do not refrigerate. Refrigeration will cause the pastry to become soggy.
The best way to store your homemade baklava is to cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then store it in an airtight container at room temperature. It will keep fresh for up to 4 days.
If you want to keep it for longer than 4 days, wrap individual pieces in plastic wrap or foil and freeze them in a freezer-safe container. Your frozen baklava will stay fresh up to 2 months in the freezer.
To reheat your baklava, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the desired number of pieces on a baking tray and brush them with melted clarified butter or olive oil. Heat them in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until heated through and crispy.
With these storage and reheating tips, you can enjoy homemade baklava whenever you like – whether it’s freshly made or prepared well in advance!
Tips for Perfect Results
Now that you’ve got the recipe down, let’s make sure you can create the best baklava possible. Here are some tips and tricks for perfecting your technique:
1. Be gentle with your phyllo dough – it can easily rip.
Just like tissue paper, phyllo dough is delicate and can tear easily. When working with this dough, be gentle and patient. If it starts to tear, don’t try to fix it by pressing it back together, as that will likely lead to more ripping. Instead, simply discard the torn piece and move on to the next one.
2. Keep your phyllo dough covered.
Phyllo dough dries out quickly, so keep it covered with a damp towel or plastic wrap while you’re working with it. This will help prevent cracking and tearing.
3. Melt your butter carefully.
Butter is an essential ingredient in baklava, and melting it properly is key. You can either melt it slowly in a saucepan on the stove or in the microwave, but be sure not to let it get too hot. If your butter starts to brown or boil, it will affect the flavor of your baklava.
4. Cut your baklava before baking.
Before you put your baklava in the oven, use a sharp knife to make cuts all the way through the layers of phyllo dough. This will make it much easier to serve later on and will also allow the honey syrup to seep through all the layers of pastry.
5. Don’t skimp on the syrup.
The syrup is what gives baklava its signature sweet and sticky texture, so don’t skip this step! Use a generous amount of syrup and make sure every inch of your baklava is covered.
By following these simple tips, you’ll be able to make the best batch of homemade baklava possible – one that’s absolutely delicious and sure to impress all your friends and family!
Bottom Line
In conclusion, baklava is a rich and decadent dessert that has been enjoyed for centuries in various cultures. With this no honey recipe, you can enjoy a delicious treat without worrying about using animal products or refined sugar. The Karo light corn syrup and the rose water make an excellent alternative to traditional honey syrup, providing a lovely taste, and moisture to the dish.
Using fresh phyllo dough and unsalted butter are critical components of this recipe as they make it much easier to work with and produce the desired flaky, crisp texture. Walnuts add a subtle crunch and earthy flavor to the sweet pastry, but feel free to experiment with other nuts like pistachios if you prefer.
When making baklava, it’s essential to take your time and follow the recipe carefully. This will ensure that you achieve the best results. Also, making ahead of time and storing properly allows flavors to meld together, giving you an even better taste.
Overall, I hope this no honey baklava recipe encourages you to try something new in your dessert repertoire. Whether you serve it with tea or coffee or present it as an impressive dinner party dessert, making baklava from scratch will impress both yourself and your guests. Enjoy!
Baklava - No Honey Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb phyllo dough
- 2 lbs walnuts
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 lb unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons rose water
- 16 ounces Karo light corn syrup
Instructions
- MIx finely chooped walnuts, sugar and 1 heaping T rosewater set aside.
- Render butter and skim off curdle.
- Butter cookie sheets with curdle.
- Lay 1 sheet dough & butter entirely.
- Place another sheet over this and butter the ends.
- Mound nut mixture along the short end of the dough and roll up.
- Crimp the ends of the roll and place on cookie sheet
- Place rolls tightly against each other
- When sheet is full, butter the tops.
- Diagonal cut while raw.
- Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour (brown).
- Syrup - In a sauce pan, mix 1 bottle of white Karo syrup lite with a little water and 1 heaping T rosewater. Boil.
- Apply to bakliva while hot.
- Let cooll completely before storinn in air tight plastic container. May be frozen.