Chef John's Baklava

Recipe View 5 mins Prepare the Nut Filling: In a food processor, combine walnuts, pistachios, and cinnamon. Pulse until finely chopped but not overly processed. (5 minutes)

Recipe View 15 mins Layer the Base: Brush the bottom of a 9-inch round baking pan with melted butter. Layer two sheets of phyllo dough in the pan, then drizzle with about 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Repeat this process twice more, creating a base of 6 phyllo layers. Remember to keep the remaining phyllo sheets covered with a damp towel to prevent them from drying out. (15 minutes)

Recipe View 10 mins Add Nut Filling: Sprinkle 1/3 of the nut mixture evenly over the phyllo base. Top with a single sheet of phyllo, drizzle with melted butter, and repeat with another phyllo sheet. Add another 1/3 of the nut mixture. (10 minutes)

Recipe View 10 mins More Layers and Filling: Place another sheet of phyllo on the nuts and drizzle with butter. Top with another sheet of phyllo and butter. Add the remaining nut mixture. (10 minutes)

Recipe View 15 mins Create the Top: Top with two sheets of phyllo, drizzled with butter. Add two more sheets, drizzled with butter. Finish with the last two sheets of phyllo, generously drizzling with the remaining melted butter. (15 minutes)

Recipe View 1 hrs Chill: Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the butter to solidify and the layers to meld. (1 hour)

Recipe View 5 mins Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). (5 minutes)

Recipe View 10 mins Cut the Baklava: Remove the baklava from the refrigerator and carefully cut it into diamond-shaped pieces, approximately 12 pieces in total. (10 minutes)

Recipe View 1 hrs Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until golden brown and crisp. (1 hour)

Recipe View 15 mins Prepare the Syrup: While the baklava is baking, combine sugar, water, honey, and cloves in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and orange flower water. (15 minutes)

Recipe View 2 hrs Syrup and Cool: After the baklava has rested for 5 minutes, slowly ladle the syrup evenly over the top. Allow the baklava to cool completely to room temperature before serving, allowing the syrup to soak into all the layers. (2 hours)