Baklava Rolls

Baklava rolls are a variation of the traditional Middle Eastern dessert, baklava. Baklava rolls offer the same sweet, nutty flavours and flaky texture as traditional baklava and are much easier to make.

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 45

Servings Pieces

Calories 166kcal

Author Fay Khoury

INGREDIENTS

Sugar Syrup

2 cups (2 cups) sugar white granulated
1 cup (1 cup) water
1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) lemon juice
2 teaspoon (2 teaspoon) orange blossom water adjust to taste

Baklava Rolls

375 g (⅚ lb) phyllo pastry 1 packet
400 g (3 cups) cashews unsalted and roasted
180 g (1 cups) ghee melted

Garnish

¼ cup (¼ cup) pistachio

INSTRUCTIONS

Sugar Syrup

In a saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
Add lemon juice and simmer on very low for about 8 minutes until the syrup thickens slightly.
Remove from heat and stir in orange blossom or rose water. Set aside to cool.

Baklava Rolls

Finely chop the cashews (or your choice of nuts) until they are small but not powdery.
Brush a 10" square baking pan on the bottom and side with ghee.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Unroll the phyllo pastry. Keep the sheets covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying.
Take one sheet of phyllo and brush it lightly with melted ghee an sprinkle evenly with crushed cashew nuts.
Place a 3mm-5mm thick dowel at one of the longer ends and roll the pastry tightly over the dowel. You can use wooden dowel rods or metal.
Place another sheet on top and brush again with ghee.
Again, place the dowel at the longer end and roll tightly.
Push both ends of the rolled pastry towards the middle of the dowel to create the signature scrunched pattern.
Gently push the baklava roll off the dowel and carefully place the roll seam-side down on a baking tray. This can be seen in the video.
Repeat until all pastry has been used.
Slice the rolls into 4 pieces pieces for standard rolls or 8 pieces for mini rolls. This can be seen in the video.
Brush the tops generously with the remaining melted ghee.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.
Remove from the oven and place the tray on a wire cooling rack.
As soon as the baklava rolls come out of the oven, evenly pour the cooled sugar syrup over the rolls.
Let sit for several hours until completely cool . The syrup will thicken and be absorbed as they cool.
Arrange on a serving platter sprinkling the tops with ground pistachio nuts.

NOTES

Phyllo Pastry Handling: Phyllo dough is delicate and dries out quickly. Always keep the unused sheets covered with a damp towel while working. This will prevent them from breaking.

Ghee vs. Butter: While the recipe calls for ghee, unsalted butter can be used as a substitute. Ghee, however, gives a richer, nuttier flavour and is more traditional in baklava recipes.

Nuts Selection and Preparation: Feel free to experiment with different types of nuts. Make sure they are finely chopped for even distribution and better texture in the rolls. Toasting the nuts beforehand can enhance their flavour.

Syrup Consistency: It’s important not to over-thicken the syrup. It should be just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Over-thickened syrup won’t absorb well into the layers of the baklava rolls.

NUTRITION