2 Ways to Make the Easiest & BEST Baklava (Diamond & Star Shaped)

Get the recipe: https://www.dimitrasdishes.com/diamon... Ingredients For the Pistachio Baklava: 1 pound (#4) phyllo pastry, thawed and at room temperature 3/4 pound (340g) unsalted butter, melted The Syrup: 3 cups (600g) granulated sugar 1 cup Greek honey 2 cups (500 ml) water juice of half of a lemon 2 tablespoons rosewater or orange blossom water 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract The Pistachio Filling: 3-4 cups finely chopped pistachios For the Traditional Greek Baklava: 1 pound (#4) phyllo pastry tawed and at room temperature 3/4 pound unsalted butter, melted For the Syrup: 3 cups granulated sugar 1 and 1/2 cups Greek honey 2 cups water juice of half a lemon The Filling: 2 cups coarsely ground pistachios 2 cups ground almonds 2 heaping teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves Instructions Preheat the oven to 325 °F, 160 °C. Make the syrup for both of the baklavas using separate pots: Combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and add the honey, lemon juice, and flavorings. Stir and set aside. Cool completely. Combinne the walnuts, almonds, cinnamon, and cloves in a bowl and toss together to combine. For the Diamond-Shaped Baklava: Cut the phyllo into 2 stacks so that the sheets fit the inside of a 9 by 13-inch baking pan. Brush the inside of the baking dish with melted butter. Layer 8-10 sheets on the bottom of the pan and top with a handful of the nut mixture. Top with 3-4 phyllo layers and continue with a layer of nuts and 3-4 layers of phyllo until 8-10 phyllo layers remain for the top. Using a sharp knife cut 3 straight cuts running parallel to the long side of the pan. You will end up with 4 rows. Then, make diagonal cuts beginning at one corner of the pan and ending at the opposite corner. Make the cuts the size that you'd like your baklava to be. Pour the butter over the baklava. Sprinkle some water over the edges of the baklava. Bake on the center rack for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until golden all around. As soon as the baklava comes out of the oven pour 3/4 of the syrup on top. Reserve the remianing syrup for later (if needed) or pour all of it on top of the baklava. Set aside at room temperature for 4-5 hours until set. Serve with coffee. For the Star-Shaped Baklava: Make the syrup and set aside to cool. See instructions above. Unroll the phyllo and cut it into a circle to fit the inside of a 10-12-inch round pan. Brush the inside of the pan with butter and stack 6-8 phyllo layers on the bottom. Sprinkle a handful of the pistachios on top. Layer 3 round phyllo sheets over the nuts and add the scraps in between as well. Top with pistachios and then 3 more phyllo layers and some scraps. End with 8 phyllo layers for the top. Cut the baklava into 4 equal portions and then follow the diagram in the post to create the star pattern. Pour the butter on top and bake on the center rack until golden and crisp. About 1 hour and 20 minutes. As soon as the baklava comes out of the oven pour enough syrup to cover the pastry. Store the remaining syrup in the refrigerator. Allow the baklava to cool completely. About 5 hours. Serve with Greek coffee. Kali Orexi. Notes Freezer Instructions: Assemble the baklava and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. It will keep fresh in the freezer for 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake at 325 °F until golden. Pour syrup on top and serve when it has completely set. Music Used: Greek Sun Time (With Intro) ITEM ID: 66582698 By: tonyanthony Its All Greek ITEM ID: 84456733 By: LowNotes