Baklava Recipe Ingredients

A yummy, rich and layered pastry, filled with chopped nuts and honey or sugar syrup drizzled over. That is a rough description of Baklava, a popular dessert of Middle Eastern and Greek cuisines. There are no words that can truly describe the mouth-watering and sumptuous eating experience that baklava offers. No wonder it has numerous claims, as to its actual place of origin. The exotic and different ingredients of baklava add to its full-bodied taste, and it has a slightly lengthy preparation method, but the end result is worth it. Here, we look at a simple how to make baklava method, a variation on the authentic recipe, and a cheesecake version. Take your pick.
Easy to Make Baklava Recipe
Ingredients

1 pound chopped mixed nuts (pistachios, walnuts)
1 (16 ounce) packet of phyllo or filo pastry
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup melted butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup water
½ cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Mix cinnamon and nuts. Cut filo pastry stack in half, to fit in dish and cover it to keep from drying.
In baking dish, place 2 sheets of filo, brush generously with butter. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top.
Repeat layers, until nut mixture is over, 6 sheets of filo will be used. Cut baklava (all the way through to the bottom of the dish) into 4 long, diagonal rows, then 9 times diagonally, to make 36 diamond shapes.
Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes, until crisp and golden.
At medium heat, mix sugar and water in a pan, and bring to a boil. Add honey, vanilla and lemon zest, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove baklava from oven, let layers cool, then spoon the syrup over it. When cooled completely, serve.
How to Make Baklava with Chocolate Filling
Ingredients

1 cup hazelnut chocolate spread
1 (3 inch) cinnamon stick
½ cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped
½ cup roasted pistachios, chopped
⅓ cup blanched, toasted almonds, chopped
⅓ cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup water
¾ cup honey
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup butter, melted
24 (14x9 inch) sheets filo dough
Directions:
Mix honey, water and the cinnamon stick in a saucepan, over low heat. Stir till honey dissolves. Increase heat to medium and cook, without stirring, for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and discard cinnamon stick.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Melt hazelnut chocolate spread. Mix hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds, walnuts, cinnamon and salt together. Butter baking dish lightly.
Place 1 filo sheet lengthwise at baking dish bottom. Brush with butter. Do the same with 5 more filo sheets. Drizzle about ⅓ cup of chocolate spread over filo. Sprinkle ⅓ of nut mixture evenly over spread.
Place 5 sheets over this filled sheet and repeat butter, spread and nut procedure. Press gently into pan.
Cut filo sheets into 24 portions, with 3 lengthwise cuts and 5 diagonal cuts. Bake for 35 minutes, until filo is golden. Remove and cool baklava. Drizzle honey water mixture over it. Cool completely and serve.