Sweet baklava
Baklava is a traditional dessert popular around the world, especially in the Middle East and North Africa. In Algeria in particular, it consists of thin layers of dough called “ruqaq” or “phyllo” filled with a mixture of ground nuts, sugar and spices.
Here are some basic ingredients for baklava dessert
Ingredients for preparing the dough
3 cups white flour
1 and a quarter teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons corn oil
1 large egg
¼ teaspoon liquid vanilla
A cup of warm water
starch (for shaping)
Padding
3 cups crushed Aleppo pistachios
A cup of almonds, sliced and crumbled
½ cup fine sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
One egg yolk
2 tablespoons rose water
A cup of liquid ghee
½ cup melted butter
Diameter
2 cups of sugar
Cup water
½ cup rose water
Juice of one lemon
How to prepare
Prepare the dough: Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Gradually add corn oil, egg, vanilla, and warm water while kneading until you get a consistent, soft dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for at least an hour.
Preparing the filling: Mix pistachios, almonds, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Add the egg yolk and rose water and mix well.
Preparing the syrup: Put the sugar and water in a pot on the fire. Allow the mixture to boil until it thickens. Add rose water and lemon juice and let the syrup cool.
Assemble the baklava: Roll out the dough on a surface sprinkled with starch until it becomes very thin. Grease an oven tray with ghee. Place a layer of dough in the tray. Grease the dough with ghee and spread some filling on it. Repeat the process until you finish all the ingredients
Cut the baklava into squares or rhombuses. Grease the surface of the baklava with ghee.
Bake baklava in a preheated oven at 180°C for 45 minutes or until golden.
Pour the cold syrup over the baklava and let it rest for at least an hour before serving.
You can decorate baklava with pistachios, almonds or cinnamon.
