Description
Who doesn't love this Mediterranean/Middle Eastern treasure? Vegan baklava is actually extremely simple to make with store-bought phyllo dough! Step-by-step video instructions are available.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Baklava:
- 1 lb, 21 sheets of phyllo dough* (~450 grams, 42 half sheets)
- 2 cups of walnuts or pistachios, finely crushed
- 1 1/8 cup plant-based butter (2 sticks)
For the Syrup:
- 1 3/4 cups of sugar*
- 1.5 cups of water
- juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- To make the syrup, mix the sugar and water, then juice the lemon in a saucepan. Boil the syrup, then reduce heat to a simmer until it thickens. Set aside to let cool.
- In a separate saucepan, melt the plant butter and brush some of it onto a rectangular baking tray.
- Layer two sheets of phyllo onto the pan, and generously brush the top with butter. You may have to cut the store-bought phyllo in half depending on the size of your baking tray to make them fit (mine was 9 x 13 in).
- Layer two more sheets of phyllo and brush the top with butter. Continue until half the phyllo sheets are layered. At this halfway point, add the walnut or pistachio filling.
- Onto the filling, layer the rest of the phyllo sheets and butter (two sheets, brush; two sheets, brush).
- Cut the layers all the way into squares, rectangles, or diamonds and pour over the leftover butter.
- Bake at 325°F for 45 minutes. If it still doesn't have a golden brown color, increase the temperature to 375°F and bake until they do.
- When it's baked, immediately pour in the cooled down syrup, and set aside the baklava, uncovered, to cool for at least a few hours before digging in.
- Do not store baklava in the refrigerator—it will get soggy and you will lose all the crispiness we worked for. Instead, you can store it at room temperature for up to a week.
Notes
Keep the phyllo from tearing by storing it between two moist dishcloths while you assemble the baklava.
You can substitute the sugar with 2 cups of erythritol (per original recipe) or 3 cups of thinned out date syrup. Naturally, I can't guarantee the same regular results in taste.
I like my baklava not overly sweet— but if you want a more traditional, super-sweet dessert, double the amount of syrup.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Turkish, Greek
