Baklava
Baking and Desserts | Azerbaijani cuisine
⏳ Time
3 hours
🥕 Ingredients
15
🍽️ Servings
15
Description
Everything in moderation, except for this! Plenty of fat (three sticks of butter), lots of protein (walnuts and almonds), and a rich, sticky sweetness (sugar-honey-lemon syrup). This baklava will save the day after a light lunch, ensuring that no one leaves the table hungry.
Ingredients
- Walnuts - 28.2 oz
- Sugar - 38.8 oz
- Cardamom - 1 tablespoon
- Butter - 22.9 oz
- Saffron - 0.1 oz
- Honey - 2 spoons
- Meyer Lemon Juice - 0 fl oz
- Whole egg - 1 piece
- Vegetable Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Dry yeast - 1 tablespoon
- Milk - 6 fl oz
- Wheat Flour - 31.7 oz
- 20% Sour Cream - 3.5 oz
- Chicken Egg - 2 pieces
- Almond - 1.8 oz
Step by Step guide
Step 1
Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast them in an oven preheated to 320°F for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 2
Place the hot nuts on a cotton towel, wrap them in it, and gently rub and squeeze the nuts inside the towel. Then, unwrap the towel and remove the shells from the nuts.
Step 3
Pass the peeled nuts through a meat grinder or chop them in a blender, then add 800 grams of sugar and cardamom. Mix well.
Step 4
Soak the almonds in hot water for 10 minutes, then peel off the skins.
Step 5
Crush the saffron in a mortar into a powder, pour in 120 ml of hot water, and let it steep for 30 minutes.
Step 6
For the syrup, take 300 grams of sugar, pour in 250 ml of water, place it over medium heat, bring to a boil, and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Then remove from heat, add 2 tablespoons of honey, lemon juice, and stir well. Allow the syrup to cool.
Step 7
Pour the cooled syrup into a pitcher with a spout and add half of the saffron water.
Step 8
Melt 500 grams of butter in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Skim off the foam from the surface and continue to cook for 40 minutes over low heat. Then strain the butter through a sieve.
Step 9
For the glaze, mix the egg yolk, the remaining saffron water, and 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil.
Step 10
For the starter, mix the yeast, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour, and 60 ml of warm milk. Cover and place in a warm spot for 15–20 minutes.
Step 11
In a mixing bowl, combine 800 grams of flour, 120 ml of milk, 150 grams of softened butter, sour cream, and eggs. Add the pre-ferment and knead until you have a smooth, elastic dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl and doesn't stick to your hands.
Step 12
Divide the dough into 14 pieces: 12 of them should weigh about 90 grams each, and the remaining two should weigh about 150 grams each. Roll each piece of dough into a ball, place them on a flat surface, and cover with plastic wrap.
Step 13
Grease a rectangular baking dish measuring 30x40 cm (or a round one with a diameter of 36 cm) with butter. Line the bottom with parchment paper and grease it with butter as well.
Step 14
Roll one of the two large balls of dough on a floured surface into a sheet that fits the size of the baking dish. Transfer the dough to the bottom of the dish and brush it with melted butter.
Step 15
Evenly spread 3/4 cup of nut filling over the dough.
Step 16
Roll out one of the 12 smaller balls to fit the size of the pan. The dough should be very thin and transparent. Place the dough in the pan, brush it with oil, and spread the nut filling on top. Repeat this process with ten more thin layers of dough.
Step 17
Roll out the last small ball of dough just like the previous ones, place it in the mold, smooth it out well, trim any excess dough around the edges, brush with oil, but do not sprinkle with nut filling.
Step 18
Roll out the second large ball of dough, place it in the pan, and trim the excess dough around the edges.
Step 19
Cut the future baklava into diamond shapes and brush with egg wash. Place an almond on each diamond and gently press it in. Bake the baklava in a preheated oven at 356°F for 10 minutes.
Step 20
Go over the cuts in the baklava with a knife once more and drizzle it with hot melted butter. Return the baklava to the oven for 50 minutes.
Step 21
Drizzle the hot baklava with syrup and return it to the oven for another 7–10 minutes.
Step 22
Make another pass with a knife over the hot, finished baklava. Let it cool for 20 minutes, after which it can be served.
Cooked This Dish? Share Your Delicious Creation with the Community! 🥰
Snap a photo and let everyone see your culinary masterpiece. Inspire others and showcase your skills!
Users Photos
No photos yet
Leave a Comment
Please log in to leave a comment.