Ingredients
Method
Step 1.
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) and generously grease a 38x26 cm baking tin with butter.
- Take one sheet of filo pastry and lay it flat. Gently dab melted butter over the sheet using a brush. Avoid touching the brush directly to the pastry to prevent covering every bit of it. Place another sheet on top and scatter some more melted butter.
Step 2.
- Sprinkle around 2-3 tablespoons of ground cashews evenly over the top. Place a long chopstick in the middle of the pastry, going across.
- Fold the pastry from your end over the chopstick. Fold ¾ of the way over only and start rolling firmly. Once rolled, scrunch the roll inwards to form a finger-like shape.
- Gently slide the chopstick out, leaving a long, wrinkly roll.
Step 3.
- Place the roll in a well-greased baking pan. Repeat the process with the remaining pastry and cashews until the tray is filled (about 15-16 fingers).
- Once all the baklawa rolls are placed in the pan, cut them into finger-sized pieces. Aim to create approximately 4 rows. This will leave a line of crust on each side of the tray, which becomes a delicious, crunchy snack once cooked.
Step 4.
- Carefully brush the remaining melted butter over the baklava. It's important to coat each piece evenly for a perfect finish. Be mindful to avoid using the white residue of the melted butter. Use only the clear, melted part for a glossy appearance and better texture.
Step 5.
- Bake for approximately 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and immediately pour the cooled sugar syrup over the baklawa fingers. Adjust the quantity to your liking; you most probably not need the full 2 cups. Garnish with ground pistachio.
- Allow to cool before serving.
5 Responses
Can we freeze before baking the rolls? Will it affect the texture or dry out the dough? Please let me know
you can absolutey freeze these. Make them up until step 4. and skip the baking part…once frozen.. leave them in the tray as they are but wrap them up with plastic wrap. once you remove them from the freezer, umwrap them, and just let them sit for about 20 minutes or so before popping them into the oven..
Thank you for this delicious pastry, however I had trouble making it crunchy, I used all the syrup was it too much or should I have put it in the middle rack of the oven?
Thanks so much for trying it 🤍 Baklawa is meant to be crisp and slightly chewy at the same time, not dry-crunchy.
A few things can stop it from crisping properly — the biggest one is syrup. If the syrup was warm and not cooled completely, or if too much was used, it will soften it straight away. That’s why I mentioned you won’t need all the syrup.
Also did you use the full amount of butter? and if you prefer it crispier, you can bake it a little longer. But honestly, syrup temperature and quantity make the biggest difference 💛
Thank you for this delicious pastry, however I had trouble making it crunchy, I used all the syrup was it too much or should I have put it in the middle rack of the oven?