2 Nut Delicious Crunchy Baklava

Making this delicious 2 nut delicious crunchy baklava is time consuming, but it is definitely worth it in the end. It is a multi-step process and tastes best when allowed to sit for 8 – 12 hours before eating (I make it and leave it overnight, so the syrup gets evenly absorbed). Waiting to eat it is the most difficult part of the recipe.

Ingredients List for 2 Nut Delicious Crunchy Baklava:

• For the Syrup
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 whole cardamom pods (optional)
• 3 whole cloves (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup honey
• The Filling
• 1 package phyllo pastry
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups walnuts
• 2 cups pistachio 
• 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) sugar
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon ground green cardamom seeds
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (optional)
• Extra nuts and cinnamon for garnish (optional)

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The Nuts for Crunchy Baklava

My recipe is for two types that are made at the same time. Half the dessert is pistachio and the other half is walnut. One of my kids likes walnuts and the other pistachio, so I had to come up with something to keep them both happy. You can combine the two nuts and spread them over the whole pastry or do what I do and enjoy two separate types at the same time. The walnut bit has a little bit of cocoa, so it has a slight hint of a chocolatey taste.

The dessert is sticky because of the honey syrup that is poured on it. The honey syrup makes it sticky and delicious. The syrup needs to be made and cooled to room temperature before assembly and baking.

Making the Honey Syrup

To make the syrup, bring the sugar and water to a boil in a pan over medium heat. Once the sugar has melted, add the cardamom and cloves and cook for about 20 mins. Add the honey and salt and cook for a further 5 mins. The whole kitchen will smell extremely sweet and fragrant.

Set the pan aside and let the syrup cool completely. I try and make the syrup the night before when I get the pastry dough out of the freezer to thaw.

Making the Nut Mixture

I make two separate nut mixes. In a food processor, combine the walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom powder, and cocoa powder. Pulse the processor so that the nuts get broken, but don’t turn into dust. Do the same with the pistachio – only skip the cocoa powder this time. Put into bowls and set aside.

Assembling the Dessert

Thaw the pastry as per the package directions. Allow enough time to thaw before you start making the dessert. I thaw it overnight in the fridge and don’t remove it from its plastic package until I am ready to use it.

Once the pastry is completely thawed, coat a 9×11 in baking dish (not tray) with butter. Line one sheet of the pastry in the dish and using a brush, liberally coat with butter. Repeat this until half the pastry is in the dish – remember to brush each layer of pastry with butter.

Once half the pastry is in the pan, pour the nut mix on top of it. I pour the pistachio mix onto one half of the pastry and the walnut mix onto the other half of the pastry.

Assembly and Cutting the Phyllo Pastry

Continue to line the remaining sheets on top of the nuts one sheet at a time. Butter each layer as you go. Once you are done layering all of them, butter the last sheet as well. Using a sharp knife, cut the pastry into squares or rectangles. It is important to cut the pastry before you bake it. If you cut the pastry after it’s baked, it flakes and crumbles and you will not get any proper shapes.

Baking and Pouring the Syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Once cut, bake for 30-35 mins. You want to make sure that the pastry looks nice and brown before you remove it from the oven.

As soon as you remove it from the oven, pour the cooled syrup on the baked phyllo. You will hear a sizzle and that’s a good thing. Sizzle means the syrup is getting absorbed right away.

Now the waiting game begins. This is the toughest part. You have spent time baking, and the whole house smells delicious, but you can’t eat it just yet. You need to let it cool down and absorb the syrup for at least 8 hrs. I generally let it sit and rest overnight.

Once all the syrup has been soaked up, garnish it with cinnamon powder, more nuts, or even chocolate sprinkles. Make a cup of coffee (or tea) and enjoy the sticky delicious dessert.

Storing the 2 Nut Delicious Crunchy Baklava

It can be stored in an air tight container for up to 3 days on the counter. Since I make a larger batch, I save it in the fridge and it lasts at least a week.

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