Michael’s Mom’s Baklava 🤩

Michael Symon’s mom is the queen of baklava 👑 She adds zwieback crackers to bind all the nuts!

Catch Michael hosting #24in24: Last Chef Standing, April 27th at 8|7c!

Get the recipe 👇

Baklava
Recipe courtesy of Michael Symon
Level: Easy
Total: 7 hr 30 min
Prep: 30 min
Inactive: 6 hr
Cook: 1 hr
Yield: about 40 pieces

Ingredients

For the Baklava:
1 pound pistachios and/or walnuts, coarsely ground, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste
1 cup ground zwieback crackers or breadcrumbs
4 sticks unsalted butter, melted
16 sheets phyllo dough (thawed, if frozen), cut in half

For the Syrup:
3 cups sugar
1 6-to-8-ounce jar honey
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Combine the nuts, cinnamon and ground crackers in a bowl.

Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with some of the butter. Layer 10 pieces of phyllo in the dish, brushing each piece with butter before adding the next (keep the remaining dough covered with a damp towel). Sprinkle a quarter of the nut mixture over the dough. Layer 4 pieces of phyllo on top, brushing each with butter before adding the next; sprinkle with another quarter of the nut mixture. Add 4 more phyllo pieces on top, brushing each with butter, then add another quarter of the nut mixture, 4 more pieces of phyllo with butter, and the remaining nuts.

Layer the remaining 10 pieces of phyllo on top of the nuts, brushing each with butter; brush the top piece with extra butter. Cut into the baklava to make strips, about 1 1/2 inches wide. Then make diagonal slices, about 1 1/2 inches apart, to create a diamond pattern. Bake until golden, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, make the syrup: Bring the sugar, honey and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat and cook, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the lemon juice and boil 2 more minutes, then let cool slightly.
Pour the syrup over the warm baklava; let soak, uncovered, at least 6 hours or overnight. Garnish with nuts.
Photograph by Jim Franco

Recipe courtesy Michael Symon for Food Network Magazine

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