Authentic Arabic Baklava Recipe

Are you a dessert-loving foodie? If so, when baking some delicious and traditional desserts at home, I am sure you will want to prepare the dessert perfectly without any hassle. I am here with the fabulous Arabic Baklava Recipe and some useful baking tips.

Most home bakers find the baklava recipe too tough. In this recipe, I will show you how easily you can make and serve this traditional Middle Eastern dessert.

So, check out the full recipe and prepare the flavorful and delicious sweet dish at home.

What Makes Arabic Baklava More Special? 

Baklava is a mouthwatering and special occasion dessert in Middle Eastern countries. The aromatic sugar syrup with the flavor of rose water, called atter, makes this Arabic Baklava so different from the Baklava of other regions.

The layered golden phyllo pastry with the walnut filling and sugar syrup on top has its own delicious look as well as taste. People of any age love this Arabic dessert.

The vegetable ghee on top and the crispy pastry with moist filling make any occasion more special. Whenever it’s a special occasion or family get-together, the dessert menu is incomplete without this Arabic Baklava.

Ingredients for Arabic Baklava Recipe 

Arabic Baklava requires only 5 ingredients:

1. Cane Sugar (300 grams): I prefer using cane sugar to make the sugar syrup for Baklava. This is due to the molasses it has, which passes on a profound flavor. 

2. Phyllo Sheets (28 sheets): Phyllo sheets are the primary ingredient for the dessert. You can easily find it in any supermarket or online shop. However, I prefer making them at home if you have a pasta roller. 

3. Cashew Nuts (250 grams): Although most recipes for Baklava walnuts or pistachios are used, in my recipe, I like using cashew nuts as they seem more royal in taste to me. 

4. Ghee (200 grams): Ghee is actually the clarified version of unsalted butter. You can make them at home by melting butter or directly buy from the supermarket. Ghee adds a unique sweet flavor and aroma to desserts, which is why most Arabic dessert recipes share this food element. 

5. Lemon (1/3 of a piece): Adding lemon to the sugar syrup is essential if you want the authentic Arabic taste. Lemon will also eliminate the feeling of eating sugar (since adding only sugar syrup will keep the sweetness and can even eliminate the flavor of cashew nuts).

Making Process of Arabic Baklava 

Here’s the simple making process of Arabic Baklava:

Step 1: Preparing Crushed Cashew Nuts 

Crush 250 grams of cashew nuts in a food processor. Make sure to keep them medium in size because huge chunks will hinder you from having the dessert’s unique taste. 

Step 2: Making Ghee (Optional)

You can skip this step if you already have clarified butter (ghee). For those who want to prepare this, take 200 grams of unsalted butter in a pot. Let it slowly melt on medium heat. Keep stirring the butter until it gets melted. Wait until you see foamy milk salts. Remove them carefully to make the melted butter or ghee clear. 

Step 3: Prepare to Bake 

Take your baking dish and nicely brush ghee on its bottom and sides before putting the first layer of phyllo sheets. Add one layer of phyllo sheet and gently brush ghee on the sheet again. 

Add another phyllo sheet over the previous one in the same process and repeat the procedure until you’re done adding 14 of them one by one. 

Sprinkle crushed cashew nuts evenly and add 14 more phyllo sheets, repeating the same step. 

Also, remember to brush ghee on the topmost sheet. Cut them evenly with a nice, giving them an excellent diamond shape. 

Step 4: Start Baking 

Pop your baking dish with Baklava inside an oven. Set its temperature at 400 degrees F. Wait for 30 minutes to allow your Baklava to get appropriately baked. 

Step 5: Making Sugar Syrup 

While your Baklava is getting ready inside the oven, finish making sugar syrup. Use 300 grams of cane sugar in a cup of water in a pot. Stir on the stove for 2 to 3 minutes, keeping a medium heat. Add lemon juice of a quarter lemon and stir slowly until it boils. Turn off the stove and keep the pot aside to cool the syrup. 

Step 6. Adding Sugar Syrup to the Baked Baklava 

Take out the freshly baked Baklava from the oven and add sugar syrup. Remove the excess syrup after 5 minutes. Store them in an airtight container to enjoy for 2 weeks. 

My Secret Tips For Baklava Arabic Sweet

Whoever wants to bake Baklava at home wants to make it perfectly. But, for some silly mistakes and a lack of patience, one’s hard work gets spoiled. So, I am here with the following tricks so that you cannot face such difficulties while baking Baklava:

• While preparing the filling, you must ensure that there is not too much moisture. Once it contains more moisture, it can get a dark, baking look, which is not appropriate.
• Warm vegetable ghee is really important because it will soak through all layers.
• You should not open the oven within the first 15 minutes because that is the baking time between the layers.
• When the Baklava is baked, and you take it out of the oven, remove the excess vegetable ghee.
• If you do not want soggy Baklava, apply cold sugar syrup to hot Baklava. Otherwise, you can also apply hot sugar syrup to cold pastry.
• You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
• To get a perfectly crispy pastry, use clarified butter instead of butter.

Is Baklava Suitable For Muslims?

Yes, baklava is suitable for Muslims. In fact, it is a popular dessert in many Middle Eastern and Muslim countries. The ingredients used in baklava, such as phyllo dough, nuts, and sugar syrup, are all halal.

Is baklava Turkish or Arabic?

Baklava is a traditional pastry rooted in Turkish and Arabic cuisine. It isn’t easy to attribute its origins to one specific culture as it has been enjoyed and adapted by various cultures throughout history.

The modern form of baklava, as we know it today, is believed to have originated in the Ottoman Empire, encompassing present-day Turkey and parts of the Middle East. The Ottomans greatly influenced the development and spread of baklava throughout their empire.

That being said, baklava has been embraced and adopted by many Arab countries as well. In the Arab world, baklava can have regional variations, such as the Lebanese or Levantine style, which may use different nuts and flavorings.

Arabic Baklava Recipe

Serves: 8 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 40 Minutes 40 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 355 calories 12 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 3 voted )

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Ingredients

1. Cane Sugar - 300 Grams
2. Phyllo Sheets - 28 Sheets
3. Cashew Nuts - 250 Grams
4. Ghee - 200 Grams
5. Lemon - ⅓ Piece

Instructions

1. Crush cashew nuts in a food processor. 
2. Melt unsalted butter to make ghee.
3. Put 14 phyllo sheets one over another and brush each sheet with ghee.
4. Spread crushed cashew nuts.
5. Put 14 more sheets of phyllo on cashew nuts following the same process.
6. Put the dish inside an oven to bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes.
7. Create sugar syrup adding cane sugar, water, and lemon juice.
8. When finished baking Baklava, pour sugar syrup on the dessert.
9. Remove excess syrup.
10. Store in a container and eat for 2 weeks at least.

Conclusion 

I hope you enjoyed the Arabic Baklava recipe above. If you want perfect baking at home, then follow my tips carefully. You can serve this amazing dessert with tea or coffee. So, try this delicious recipe without delay and enjoy cooking.