Hand-Stretched Ultrathin Baklava with 100+ Layers Recipe
Impossibly delicate sheets of phyllo dough layered over 100 times and filled with spiced nuts, then soaked in aromatic honey syrup for a traditional baklava that shatters with each blissful bite.
Ingredients
<ul class="ingredients-main-list"><li class="ingredients-single-item">For the dough:</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">500g all-purpose flour</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 tsp salt</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">250ml warm water</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">60ml olive oil</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 tbsp white vinegar</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">Cornstarch for dusting</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">For the filling:</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">400g mixed nuts (pistachios, walnuts, almonds)</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">100g sugar</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">2 tsp ground cinnamon</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 tsp ground cardamom</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">¼ tsp ground cloves</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">For the syrup:</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">300g honey</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">200g sugar</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">250ml water</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 cinnamon stick</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">3 strips lemon peel</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 tbsp rose water (optional)</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">For brushing:</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">225g unsalted butter, melted</li></ul>
Equipment
<ul class="equipment-main-list"><li class="equipment-single-item">Large clean cotton sheet or tablecloth</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Long thin rolling pin</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Food processor</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Pastry brush</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Sharp knife</li><li class="equipment-single-item">33cm x 23cm (13" x 9") baking pan</li></ul>
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Directions
<ol class="no-list-style"><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 1</h4>Begin by making the dough. In a large bowl, combine 500g flour and 1 tsp salt. Make a well in the center and add 250ml warm water, 60ml olive oil, and 1 tbsp vinegar. Mix with your hands until a shaggy dough forms, then turn onto a clean surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The vinegar helps develop the gluten structure that will allow for extreme stretching. Divide the dough into 8 equal balls (each will become approximately 15 layers), cover with a damp cloth, and let rest for 1 hour at room temperature.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 2</h4>While the dough rests, prepare the nut filling. In a food processor, pulse the nuts until coarsely chopped (not too fine—you want texture). Mix in a bowl with sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. The variety of spices creates a complex flavor profile that will perfume the entire baklava. Set aside.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 3</h4>For the syrup, combine honey, sugar, water, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, add rose water if using, and let cool completely. The syrup must be cool when poured over hot baklava (or vice versa) to achieve proper absorption.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 4</h4>Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Melt the butter and set aside. Lightly butter your baking pan. Clear a large table and cover with a clean cotton sheet dusted with cornstarch. Take one ball of dough and roll it out to a thin disk about 30cm in diameter.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 5</h4>Now for the hand-stretching technique: Place the disk on your prepared cloth. Slide your hands, palms down, under the dough. Using the backs of your hands and arms, gently stretch the dough outward from the center, walking around the table as you work. Continue stretching until the dough becomes nearly transparent and covers the entire table. You should be able to read a newspaper through it – this is how you know it's thin enough. Don't worry about small tears; they'll be hidden in the layers.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 6</h4>Trim the thicker edges of the stretched dough. Using scissors, cut the enormous sheet into rectangles that will fit your baking pan. You should get about 15 sheets from each ball of dough. The thinness of the dough creates the characteristic flaky texture that makes exceptional baklava.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 7</h4>Begin layering your baklava. Place a sheet of phyllo in the buttered pan and brush lightly with melted butter. Repeat with 24 more sheets, buttering each one. The butter creates steam between layers, pushing them apart during baking for maximum flakiness.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 8</h4>Spread half the nut mixture evenly over the layers. Continue layering another 25 buttered phyllo sheets, then add the remaining nut mixture. Finish with 50 more layers of buttered phyllo for a total of 100+ layers.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 9</h4>Using a sharp knife, cut through all layers to create diamond or square shapes. Be decisive with your cuts - hesitation will tear the delicate layers. Drizzle any remaining butter over the top. The pre-cutting allows the syrup to penetrate deeply later.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 10</h4>Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and crisp. You'll know it's done when the top layers are richly golden and the edges have slightly pulled away from the pan. Remove from oven and immediately pour the cooled syrup evenly over the hot baklava, listening for the satisfying sizzle that indicates proper absorption.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 11</h4>Let the baklava sit uncovered at room temperature for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the syrup to fully absorb and the flavors to meld. This resting time is crucial for developing the perfect texture – not too soggy, not too dry.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 12</h4>Once set, follow the pre-cut lines to separate the pieces completely. Your hand-stretched ultrathin baklava with 100+ layers is now ready to be enjoyed. It will keep at room temperature, lightly covered, for up to 2 weeks, with the flavors actually improving over the first few days.</li></ol>
Chef’s Notes
A few helpful details for making this recipe.
Why is vinegar used in traditional baklava dough?
Vinegar helps develop the gluten structure that allows for extreme stretching of the dough without tearing. This is crucial for achieving the paper-thin sheets needed for authentic baklava. It also prevents the dough from becoming too elastic, making it easier to stretch into gossamer-thin layers.
How do you know when phyllo dough is thin enough for perfect baklava?
Properly stretched phyllo dough should be nearly transparent - you should be able to read newspaper through it. The dough should feel gossamer-light and appear translucent when held up to light. This extreme thinness (less than 1mm) is what creates the characteristic flaky, shattering texture of authentic baklava.
Why must baklava syrup be cool when poured over hot pastry?
The temperature contrast between hot baklava and cool syrup (or vice versa) creates the perfect absorption rate. This temperature difference prevents sogginess while ensuring the syrup penetrates all layers. You'll hear a satisfying sizzle when done correctly, and the pastry will remain crisp while becoming pleasantly sweet.
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