Almond Baklava Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Spring

by: cookingProf

March7,2012

4 Ratings

Makes about 3 dozen pieces

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Author Notes

This is a recipe for the traditional Iranian baklava (baghlava) which I have reinvented and perfected over the last 30+ years. I simply went by taste and texture and kept trying out new approaches until I was happy with the results. I only make this once a year for the vernal equinox which rings in the Iranian new year. It took me about 10 years to come up with a recipe which I could be proud of.
—cookingProf

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: cookingProf is an Iranian-born computer science professor in Oklahoma who finds cooking just as rewarding as teaching. (She also happens to be our assistant editor Nozlee's mother!)
WHAT: Baklava like you've never seen it before: the puff pastry, walnuts, and honey you're used to are swapped out for a flaky pie crust, almonds, and rose water.
HOW: The tightly packed filling of almonds and cardamom is frozen before baking so it slices cleanly into diamonds, and syrup is poured over the warm baklava after baking for maximum absorption.
WHY WE LOVE IT: The delicate flavors of rose water and cardamom make this treat welcome at dessert or with a simple cup of tea, and the finished diamonds are sturdy enough to pack for gifts or a picnic. —The Editors

Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients

Crust, glaze, and syrup topping
1-1/8 cupsAll purpose flour
1 stick Unsalted butter
¹/₈ cupVery cold water
1 tablespoonCrushed raw pistachios (for garnish)
¹/₂ cupSugar (for syrup topping)
³/₈ cupwater (for syrup topping)
1 tablespoonRose water (for syrup topping)
¹/₂ teaspoonFlour (for top glaze)
2 tablespoonsWater (for top glaze)

Baklava Filling
3 cupsAlmond meal/almond flour
1 cupPowdered sugar
1 teaspoonGround cardamom
2 tablespoonsWater
¹/₂ tablespoonRose water

Directions

Filling:
Mix 2 tbsp water and 1/2 tbs rosewater and set aside.
Mix the almond meal, cardamom and powdered sugar and transfer to a food processor bowl. Blend until uniformly mixed. Drizzle the water/rosewater mix while the food processor is running to give the filling some moisture. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. CAUTION: Do not over run the food processor as the mixture will become gooey and turn into marzipan. Note: If you cannot find almond meal in the bulk section of your local Whole Foods or a health food store, you can make your own by processing 12 ounces of slivered almonds in a food processor.
Crust:
put 1-1/8 cup of flour in the food processor bowl. Cut the butter into 8 pieces and add to the bowl. Pulse the food processor until the butter forms small pea-sized pieces. Run the food processor and drizzle 1/8 cup of cold water until the dough just starts to form small ball-sized pieces.
Wrap the dough in plastic and form a rectangular block. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. The dough can be made 1-2 days ahead of time and refrigerated.
You need a 9X9 inch pan. Cut half of the dough with a knife and place between two pieces of plastic wrap. Roll out the crust. Trim the sides to a 9X9 inch square and lay at the bottom of the pan. It is Ok if the crust is a little bigger than the pan.
Transfer the baklava filling to the baking pan. Spread and press the filling into an even and smooth surface. Repeat making a 9X9 inch crust for the top as in the above step. Lay the crust on top of the filling and push the edges down. Remove any excess edges with a knife.
Put the baking pan in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. This step stops the top crust from crawling when being cut into diamond shapes.
Use a ruler to score the crust into 8 equal-sized parallel section. Repeat the process diagonally until you end up with a diamond-shaped pattern on top of the crust. Set the ruler aside. Using a thin-blade knife (such as a pairing knife) cut along the straight and diagonal lines throughout. (Note: If you have a nice pan and would like to avoid cut marks on it, you might wish to line it with parchment paper).
Top Glaze:
In a small glass bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of water and 1/2 teaspoon of flour. Microwave for 20 second. Stir. Microwave for another 20 seconds. Glaze the top crust with this mixture. This will give the baklava an even and golden finish.
Put the baking dish in a 350-degree preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the half-baked baklava and cut through any fused pieces on the top crust with a knife. Return to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust turns golden.
Topping Syrup:
While the baklava is baking (this could actually be done days ahead), put 1/2 cup of sugar and 3/8 cup of water in a small pot and bring to a low boil over medium-low heat until the sugar is melted. Add 1 tablespoon of rose water and bring the syrup to full boil. Remove from heat.
Pour the warm syrup over warm baklava. Sprinkle with finely chopped pistachios.Let the baklava sit for 30-60 minutes or until the syrup is absorbed.
The baklava improves with 1-2 days of aging. It keeps for weeks in room-temperature in a sealed container. Cut the diamonds out and store. Use waxed paper or plastic wrap to stack layers for storage.

Tags:

Pastry
Middle Eastern
Almond
Cardamom
Pistachio
Winter
Spring
Dessert

Contest Entries

See what other Food52ers are saying.

Recipe by: cookingProf

I was gifted with the love for cooking as a very young girl growing up in Tehran. I would follow my grandmother to the fresh produce market every day in summer days and help carry her basket home. I would then stand around at her foot in the kitchen and she would reward me with delicious morsels of the food she was cooking.My two prominent occupations/preoccupations are cooking and teaching computer science/writing computer programs. I find both equally rewarding.

Popular on Food52

14 Reviews

Sahar October 5, 2015

I made this recipe and it is absolutely divine! It reminds me of the ones my mom would buy from the best persian bakeries when I was a little girl. Thank you so much CookingProf, you truley created a masterpiece.

Allen M. February 27, 2013

Thanks for sharing traditional Iranian baklava recipe.

ellebarr March 18, 2012

FAQs

What is the secret to crispy baklava? ›

Cold syrup poured over very hot baklava is the key to crispy baklava! So once your syrup is ready to go, I recommend immediately refrigerating it in a shallow-ish bowl so that it can chill completely before it's time to pour it over the hot baklava.

How do you make baklava not soggy? ›

DRAIN YOUR SYRUP.

When you cover the baklava in syrup, you need to pour a lot over the baklava. But if you leave it in the pan, the baklava will become soggy and that's just bad baklava. So, pour the syrup over the baklava and then about 2 hours later, start to drain it out so the bottom doesn't become water.

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Is baklava better with walnuts or pistachios? ›

As walnuts have a more bitter flavor than pistachio, it's less sweet than the pistachio and, if you're ordering more than one variety at once, forms a nice counter-balance to many of the sweeter forms of the dessert.

What makes baklava so good? ›

The layers of filo pastry are laid out and lathered with oil and butter to give it that melt-in-your-mouth texture. Some recipes call for many layers of nuts, but often they are only two thick layers.

Get More Info ›

What's the difference between baklava and Turkish baklava? ›

Difference in Taste and Texture

The baklava Greek region has a much softer texture due to the thick syrup. On the other hand, the Turkish baklava, with its thicker, heavier dough and filling entirely with pistachios, has a more substantial, chewy texture and a rich, nutty flavor.

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How long does baklava stay in the oven? ›

Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp. Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey.

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Do you cut baklava all the way through before baking? ›

Using a sharp knife, cut baklava into 4 long rows, then diagonally 9 times to make 36 diamond shapes. Be sure to cut all the way through to the bottom of the layers. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and crisp, about 50 minutes.

Should baklava be refrigerated? ›

Baklava has a really lengthy shelf life, lasting about 2+ weeks. It should be stored in an airtight container, either in room temperature or in the fridge. Storing in room temperature will preserve the crispness. If you like your baklava chewy and a bit harder, store it in the refrigerator.

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What is the best baklava Flavour? ›

Pistachio baklava is the most popular and original type of baklava. One bite will have you hooked! Initially developed in Turkey and Syria, pistachio baklava is a rich and sweet pastry made of 40 thin layers of dough (phyllo) filled with ground pistachios.