Pakhlava Bliss – A Journey into the Sweet Layers of Tradition
A diamond-shaped parcel filled with layers of thin pastry sheets, packed with a nut mixture and liberally soaked in honey syrup. This gem of Armenian patisserie might sound like a challenging task, but I'll guide you through the process of creating pakhlava and provide tips so you can create your own stunning confection.
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Ingredients
- 1 package phyllo dough 24-25 sheets
- 4 cups walnuts
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds ground
- 2 cups ghee clarified butter
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 cup honey
- 1-2 tablespoon lemon juice
- Lemon peel
- 1-2 cloves
Instructions
Prepare the walnut filling
- In a food processor, chop the nuts with a few pulses. You want to have fine to medium pieces but not powder. Add the sugar and spices and give 2-3 pulses until fully combined. Transfer to a bowl until ready to use.4 cups walnuts, ¼ cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
Clarify the butter
- Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, allowing it to gently simmer. Be attentive to prevent spillage. As the butter melts, it will foam and rise. Sprinkle a tablespoon of flour; you'll observe the foam clumping and settling.2 cups ghee
- Reduce the heat, allowing it to cool a bit. Once cooled, you'll see clarified butter on top and white milk solids at the bottom.
- Carefully pour through a fine mesh sieve into a glass jar, ensuring you don't disturb the residue that's on the bottom.
Start layering
- Open the phyllo dough package and lay it flat on a surface. Inspect the sheets, setting aside any broken ones. Reserve the best sheets for the top layer.1 package phyllo dough
- Begin layering the phyllo sheets immediately on the baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, apply a thin layer of clarified butter and place the second sheet on top.
- Continue layering, applying butter between each sheet. Brush with clarified butter and place the next sheet on top. When halfway through the sheets, let the next two sheets overlap from the middle, overhanging on either side.
- Scatter the walnut mixture in an even single layer. Fold the overhanging flaps over, creating an envelope, and continue the process of applying clarified butter and layering the sheets.
Scoring the paklava
- When it comes to scoring the paklava, there are different schools of thought: cutting it into squares, triangles, or the iconic diamond shape, which happens to be my preferred choice.
- To create a diamond pattern, the first cuts should be parallel to the sides of the sheet pan, while the cross cuts should be diagonal. The incisions should be about ⅔ deep, enough to cut through the walnut layer but not reach the bottom of the sheet.
- Use a sharp knife with a vertical up-and-down cutting motion, as opposed to the cut-and-drag technique.
- First, score the edges all the way around. This will give crisp looking edges to the final baked paklava.
- Start by finding the center point of your sheet and make an incision all the way across. Then, divide each half into 3 and score those as well, resulting in 6 sections.
- Next, score one corner to make it into a triangle. Follow it up with another incision parallel to that one. This process creates a beautiful diamond pattern on your paklava.
- Gently hold the phyllo sheet with your other hand to ensure they don't lift.
- After all the cuts are done, generously brush the seams with clarified butter. Using the brush, iron out any layers that might have been shifted.
Baking pakhlava
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Position the baking tray in the middle rack and bake for 20 minutes. The pastry should visibly rise with a distinct diamond-shaped pattern.
- Reduce the heat to 300°F (150°C) and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes.
- Rotate the tray, increase the heat back to 350°F (180°C), and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven. While hot, use a sharp knife to cut through all pre-scored lines, cutting to the bottom.
Making syrup
- Combine sugar with water and bring it to a boil. Drop the piece of lemon peel, and cloves if using. Cook for 10 minutes until syrup reaches 210 degrees F. Add the honey and lemon juice. Remove the lemon peel and cloves and set it aside.1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 1/2 cups water, 1 cup honey, 1-2 tablespoon lemon juice, Lemon peel, 1-2 cloves
Notes
Step-by-Step Photos: My blog post includes helpful step-by-step photos to help guide you through making this recipe.
- Clarified butter is essential: Regular melted butter will create dark spots during baking.
- Temperature matters: Always pour cool syrup over hot pakhlava (or vice versa) for best absorption.
- Thaw phyllo properly: Overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before using.
- Don't rush the resting time: Overnight absorption yields the best texture.
- Storage: Keep at room temperature, covered, for up to 2 weeks. No refrigeration needed.
- Freezing: Freezes well for up to 3 months. Defrost and refresh with warm simple syrup if desired.
- Nut substitutions: Pistachios or almonds work beautifully in place of walnuts.
