Azerbaijan · Flour and Confectionery Products
Baklava (Azerbaijani Pakhlava)
Azerbaijani pakhlava is a layered walnut pastry cut into diamonds and soaked in honey — the centerpiece of the Novruz spring table alongside shekerbura and gogal.
Ingredients
- flour700 g
- milk250 ml
- butter, melted (100 g for the dough, 100 g for brushing the layers and the tray)200 g
- egg1 pcs
- dry yeast7 g
- sugar2 tbsp
- sour cream100 g
- salt0.5 tsp
- walnuts400 g
- sugar300 g
- ground cardamom1 tsp
- egg yolk2 pcs
- saffron0.5 tsp
- honey4 tbsp
- clarified butter100 g
Method
- 1Make the dough: dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm milk, let it foam 10 minutes, then mix in the egg, sour cream, and salt. Add flour and work in 100 g of the melted butter last; keep the other 100 g warm for the layers. Knead until smooth, cover, and let rise 1 hour.
- 2Make the filling: grind the walnuts coarsely (not to powder), then mix with the sugar and cardamom.
- 3Divide the risen dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece as thin as you can. Layer them in a tray brushed with the reserved butter (roughly 30×20 cm): dough sheet — brush with the reserved melted butter — filling — dough sheet — butter — filling, repeating. The bottom and top layers get no filling.
- 4Cut the assembled pakhlava all the way through into diamonds before baking. Steep a pinch of saffron in 2 tbsp hot water for 5 minutes, then mix with the egg yolks. Brush each diamond with the saffron-yolk glaze and press a walnut half into the centre.
- 5Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, re-cut the diamonds to the base, and slowly pour the clarified butter evenly over.
- 6Return to the oven for another 15 minutes until deep golden. Remove, re-cut the diamonds once more, and pour warm honey over so it soaks into every cut.
- 7Cool completely in the tin, then carefully lift out each diamond and serve. Pakhlava keeps well at room temperature for 5–7 days.