Homemade Baklava Rolls are perfect for celebrating special occasions. This walnut stuffed rolled Baklava recipe is sure to impress your family and friends with its irresistible blend of crispy phyllo dough, sweet nut filling, and fragrant syrup.
8cupswalnutslightly toasted and ground to a medium texture
1-1/4cupsof granulated sugar
¼cupwater to moisten nuts and sugar
1tsp.orange blossom watermore to taste
For the syrup:
3cupsof water
4cupsof sugar
2tsp.lemon juice
1tsp.orange blossom water
Baklava Topping
½cupground pistachio
Instructions
For the Sugar Syrup:
In a large saucepan, combine water, sugar and lemon juice.
Bring to a boil and then simmer for approximately 20 minutes until syrup thickens, add the orange blossom water and stir. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
For the Filling:
To make the filling, process the walnuts in a food processor using the pulse method until they are medium ground.
In a large bowl, combine the chopped walnuts, sugar, water and orange blossom water until blended; set mixture aside.
To assemble and bake the Baklava:
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Skim off any foam that forms on the surface of the melted butter and discard it. You will need to return the butter to the heat as you work to keep it from solidifying.
Start with unfolding one package of phyllo dough. Take two phyllo sheets together and roll them, repeat for every 2 sheets in package and stack them. Cover the stack with a clean plastic bag and then a tea towel. Make sure your unused dough rolls remain covered while you work.
Take one roll of phyllo and unroll it so that it lays flat on the counter. You will be working with the wider side. Brush the phyllo dough evenly with melted butter.
Spoon about 6 tablespoons of the walnut mixture evenly along the edge (closest to you) of the phyllo dough, leaving a one inch border.
Fold dough over once to cover the nuts and then proceed to roll the dough around the nuts until the end (like a cigar). Make sure to roll the baklava as tightly as possible without breaking it.
Once rolled, place seam down and portion it into approximately 6 even pieces.
Move the cut pieces (again seam down) onto the baking sheet. Repeat process until you have a full sheet of baklava.
Brush the cut pieces of baklava with the melted butter and then bake for approximately 22-25 minutes, until golden and crisp.
Remove from oven and brush baklava with butter one more time. Cool baklava on baking sheet for a few minutes, then submerge them in the prepared syrup. Turn pieces to coat well with syrup, and then move them into a colander to drain excess syrup.
Repeat this process until all phyllo dough and ground nuts are used.
Optional: Before serving, sprinkle a bit of ground unsalted pistachio nuts above each piece of baklava. Store the baklava in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
Notes
To toast the walnuts, heat oven to 350°F. Spread walnuts on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring nuts once after 5 minutes. Let cool.
Orange Blossom Water can be found in Middle-Eastern grocery stores.
Baklava can be frozen. To store baklava, place a sheet of wax paper between the layers of baklava in your container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for about 4 hours before serving.