Two things decide baklava: how thin the pastry is and the temperature of the syrup. The thinner the sheets, the more separate the layers stay. The syrup rule never changes - cold syrup goes onto hot baklava. If both are hot the pastry will not take the syrup up and turns doughy.
Ingredients
For the dough
For rolling out
For the middle layers
For the syrup
Method
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Make the syrup first
Bring the sugar and water to the boil, cook for 15 minutes and add the lemon juice. Leave to cool completely.
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Knead the dough
Knead the flour, eggs, milk, salt and vinegar for 15 minutes into a soft, elastic dough. Divide into 40 pieces and rest for 30 minutes.
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Roll
Roll the pieces out with cornflour to the size of the tray and the thickness of paper. Stack them five at a time and thin them together.
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Lay the bottom layers
Lay 20 sheets in a buttered tray, brushing melted butter between each one.
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Scatter the pistachio
Spread the ground pistachio evenly.
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Lay the top layers
Close with the remaining 20 sheets in the same way.
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Cut
Cut into diamonds with a sharp knife, going all the way to the bottom.
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Pour over the butter
Boil the remaining butter and pour it over the baklava. Boiling butter separates the layers.
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Bake
Bake at 170 degrees for 50 minutes, until the top is golden.
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Add the syrup
Pour the cold syrup over the moment it leaves the oven. Rest for 1 hour.
Tips
- THE SYRUP RULE: the dessert hot, the syrup cold. If both are hot the pastry will not take the syrup up and the baklava stays doughy.
- Pour the butter boiling; warm butter does not separate the layers.
- Cut before baking; cutting baked baklava crushes the layers.
Nutrition
Values are per serving and approximate.