Ingredients for Homemade Baklava Recipe (Ev Baklavası)
- 1 water glass (about 200 ml / 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp) milk
- 1 water glass (about 200 ml / 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp) vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1.5 dessert spoons (about 2 tsp) grape vinegar
- 1 packet baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 water glasses (about 200 ml / 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp each) baklava flour
- For the filling:
- 3 water glasses finely ground walnut kernels
- For rolling and topping the dough sheets:
- 1 water glass cornstarch
- 250 g (about 9 oz) butter
- For the syrup:
- 5 water glasses water
- 4 water glasses granulated sugar
- 4 drops freshly squeezed lemon juice
How to Make Homemade Baklava Recipe (Ev Baklavası)
Place 6 water glasses of baklava flour into a deep bowl. Make a well in the center. Add 3 eggs, 1 water glass of milk, 1 water glass of vegetable oil, 1 packet of baking powder, 1.5 dessert spoons of vinegar, and the salt to the well.
Gradually mix all the ingredients into the flour to prepare a dough as soft as an earlobe. Once thoroughly kneaded, divide the dough into 30 equal pieces and roll each into a ball on the work surface.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out each dough ball to the size of a small dessert plate. Dust cornstarch between the layers, then stack the rolled sheets in groups of 10 and continue rolling them out very thinly with a rolling pin. (The thinned sheets should reach the size of your baking tray.)
Melt 250 g (about 9 oz) of butter in a small saucepan over low heat, to be used for brushing between the dough layers.
Layer the thinly rolled dough sheets one on top of another, generously sprinkling finely ground walnut kernels between each layer.
Before baking, cut the baklava into portions. Evenly drizzle the melted butter over the top of the baklava.
Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C (340°F) until evenly golden on both top and bottom.
For the baklava syrup:
Combine 5 water glasses of water and 4 water glasses of granulated sugar in a saucepan. Boil over medium heat for approximately 25 minutes. Add 4 drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice, cook for a further 2–3 minutes, then remove from heat.
Allow the hot baklava fresh out of the oven to cool to room temperature. Slowly ladle the warm syrup over the dessert a little at a time, and wait for it to absorb the syrup before serving.
Cooking Tips
Always use high-protein specialty baklava flour for the dough. This ensures the dough sheets can be rolled paper-thin without tearing.
Use cornstarch instead of wheat flour when rolling out the dough sheets. Cornstarch makes the baklava crispier and gives it a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
The baklava must be completely cool, and the syrup should be warm (not hot enough to burn a finger). This rule ensures the baklava absorbs the syrup without becoming soggy.
You can also prepare the baklava using finely ground Antep pistachios instead of walnut kernels.
About This Recipe
When it comes to syrup-soaked sweets, the Ottoman era immediately comes to mind. The best-known and most beloved of these treats is undoubtedly baklava. In that era, baklava was not merely seen as a symbol of wealth — it was even woven into affairs of state. There was even a ceremonial procession called the "baklava procession." The discipline and order devoted to its making has continued across generations. To this day, it remains true that rolling baklava dough and perfecting its syrup are true marks of craftsmanship.
Today we have prepared for you our incredibly delicious Homemade Baklava recipe. Our Hazelnut Baklava recipe is equally legendary — don't say we didn't warn you. Enjoy the process...
