We can’t have Christmas without baklava or “saragli” in Greece. The truth is that since I was diagnosed with celiac disease I had been “deprived” of this amazing sweet. In fact, I had “banned” this dessert from entering our house because I couldn’t eat it myself and couldn’t stand it! I had spent my second pregnancy, when I hadn’t been yet diagnosed with celiac disease, eating this dessert. As you can tell, it is one of my favorite sweets. I tried to make phyllo, but it couldn’t be that thin. Then I saw a Turkish recipe for gluten-free baklava phyllo in a bain-marie pan, but you have to spend a whole day in your kitchen to make it and only for a very small baking tray. (A year later I did this and it turned out relatively easy. See the recipe for Phyllo Crust Sheet here).
I am very proud that I finally managed to make baklava with an almost easy recipe with Schär’s Puff Pastry that not only worked but turned out to be amazing as my colleagues and friends who tried it said. For me it was, of course, amazing, since I hadn’t been able to eat baklava for many years. But I also wanted the opinion of those who were usually eating this dessert and so once again, my husband, my colleagues and some friends became the “critics” of my recipes. I was very happy when they really liked my baklava!
In the beginning, I made “saragli”, that is, upright, rolled baklava but since it is a bit more elaborate, I would suggest that you start with baklava and then try to make “saragli”. I will give you all the secrets for an easier and surer success!
The most important thing is to defrost the puff pastry very well. I put them in the fridge for at least 24 hours and, just before using them, also put them in the microwave for 10-20 seconds so that they soften enough. But be careful that they don’t melt! It’s a good idea to check them every 5 seconds.
As far as nuts are concerned, it’s purely a matter of your palate. You can put just walnut or add almonds or/and pistachios. I usually just add walnuts or even a few almonds in a 3 to 1 ratio.
I think with this dessert it’s time to start the Christmas celebrations!
Tip: Check off the ingredients you have used in the recipe or note the ingredients you have and add the rest to you shopping list to buy them. - Attention: All ingredients must be checked that are Gluten-Free and without traces of gluten.
Abbreviations: g=grams • kg= kilograms • cup=250 ml • tsp= teaspoon=5 ml • tbsp= tablespoon=3 tsp=15 ml • ml= millilitre= (1ml=0.034 fl oz / 1fl oz=29.6 ml) • l=litre/liter=1000ml
We start by making our syrup at first to let it cool. In a saucepan over high heat, put sugar, water, honey, cinnamon stick, cloves and lemon and orange peels. Once it comes to a boil and the sugar melts and the mixture becomes transparent, pour the lemon juice, let it boil for 1-2 more minutes, then remove it from the heat and let it cool.
Coarsely chop the walnuts, almonds and pistachios in a food processor. We can use only walnuts but we can also add almonds and pistachios.
Pour the ground nuts into a bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, cinnamon, cloves and mix them with a spoon.
Butter a 20X25cm/8”X9” inches baking pan.
Cut each sheet of puff pastry into 4, and make each phyllo sheet bigger by rolling it between parchment paper. Approximately the size of our baking tray. Don't mind if it breaks or makes holes.
With the help of parchment paper, transfer it to our baking pan.
Brush the phyllo sheet with butter and sprinkle on top with some filling from the mixture with our walnuts.
Repeat this process for the 7 sheets of puff pastry.
Laying the last phyllo sheet and buttering it well. With a sharp knife we score/cut the baklava in pieces. Pour over the baklava the remaining melted warm butter. For greater convenience or in order not to lose its shape, we can put the raw baklava in the refrigerator for a while so that the butter freezes. Something that I did not do it this time and you will realize the spoiled appearance that the top sheet has.
Bake our baklava in preheated oven at 200°C/400°F for about 25 minutes until golden brown.
Pour the syrup little by little on the hot baklava. Don't be afraid if the syrup foams on the hot baklava, it usually does it and soaks up the liquid immediately.
Let it cool well and absorb all the syrup. It is better to leave it all night, about 10 hours
First make the syrup and the walnuts mixture as I wrοte above. (steps 1-2-3)
Cut each puff pastry in half, creating 4 phyllo sheets.
Make each phyllo sheet wider (to be quite square shape) by rolling it between parchment paper.
Brush it with butter.
Sprinkle it with the walnut mixture.
With the help of parchment paper, roll it up without tightening it.
To be precise, if we lift the parchment paper from one side, the sheet starts to roll and wraps itself.
Cut it lengthwise to approx. thickness of 3-4 cm/ 1” inch and place them upright in at baking pan.
Repeat this process for all phyllo sheets of puff pastry.
Pour over it all the remaining melted warm butter.
Follow the same baking and syruping process as above. (steps 10-11-12)
Ingredients
Directions
We start by making our syrup at first to let it cool. In a saucepan over high heat, put sugar, water, honey, cinnamon stick, cloves and lemon and orange peels. Once it comes to a boil and the sugar melts and the mixture becomes transparent, pour the lemon juice, let it boil for 1-2 more minutes, then remove it from the heat and let it cool.
Coarsely chop the walnuts, almonds and pistachios in a food processor. We can use only walnuts but we can also add almonds and pistachios.
Pour the ground nuts into a bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, cinnamon, cloves and mix them with a spoon.
Butter a 20X25cm/8”X9” inches baking pan.
Cut each sheet of puff pastry into 4, and make each phyllo sheet bigger by rolling it between parchment paper. Approximately the size of our baking tray. Don't mind if it breaks or makes holes.
With the help of parchment paper, transfer it to our baking pan.
Brush the phyllo sheet with butter and sprinkle on top with some filling from the mixture with our walnuts.
Repeat this process for the 7 sheets of puff pastry.
Laying the last phyllo sheet and buttering it well. With a sharp knife we score/cut the baklava in pieces. Pour over the baklava the remaining melted warm butter. For greater convenience or in order not to lose its shape, we can put the raw baklava in the refrigerator for a while so that the butter freezes. Something that I did not do it this time and you will realize the spoiled appearance that the top sheet has.
Bake our baklava in preheated oven at 200°C/400°F for about 25 minutes until golden brown.
Pour the syrup little by little on the hot baklava. Don't be afraid if the syrup foams on the hot baklava, it usually does it and soaks up the liquid immediately.
Let it cool well and absorb all the syrup. It is better to leave it all night, about 10 hours
First make the syrup and the walnuts mixture as I wrοte above. (steps 1-2-3)
Cut each puff pastry in half, creating 4 phyllo sheets.
Make each phyllo sheet wider (to be quite square shape) by rolling it between parchment paper.
Brush it with butter.
Sprinkle it with the walnut mixture.
With the help of parchment paper, roll it up without tightening it.
To be precise, if we lift the parchment paper from one side, the sheet starts to roll and wraps itself.
Cut it lengthwise to approx. thickness of 3-4 cm/ 1” inch and place them upright in at baking pan.
Repeat this process for all phyllo sheets of puff pastry.
Pour over it all the remaining melted warm butter.
Follow the same baking and syruping process as above. (steps 10-11-12)
- The most important thing is to defrost the puff pastry very well. I put them in the fridge for at least 24 hours and, just before using them, also put them in the microwave for 10-20 seconds so that they soften enough. But be careful that they don’t melt! It’s a good idea to check them every 5 seconds.
- As far as nuts are concerned, it’s purely a matter of your palate. You can put just walnut or add almonds or/and pistachios. I usually just add walnuts or even a few almonds in a 3 to 1 ratio.
- Baklava does not need to be refrigerated to preserve it because it has a natural preservative, which is sugar. The truth is that this dessert I baked, disappeared within 2-3 days.
Good Luck and Bon Appétit!!!
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