Tunisian Baklawa

Tap an ingredient or step to check it off.

1. 1Step 1: Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. 2Step 2: In a pan, very lightly toast the nuts. Note: there should be very little browning and some spots should retain their raw color/texture.
3. 3Step 3: Remove them from the heat and allow to cool.
4. 4Step 4: While the nuts are cooling, make the simple syrup: In a medium pot, stir together water, sugar, lemon juice, and orange blossom water.
5. 5Step 5: Cook on medium low for 30 minutes and set aside.
6. 6Step 6: In a food processor, process almonds into coarse consistency (like thick couscous).
7. 7Step 7: Process the pistachios next, these should be more coarse than the almonds, for best results, chop them by hand with a knife.
8. 8Step 8: Place all the chopped nuts in a mixing bowl. Add sugar and vanilla sugar. Mix together with clean hands or a fork. Add the orange blossom water. Stir well and set aside.
9. 9Step 9: Unwrap phyllo dough at your work space. Cover with plastic and a kitchen towel to keep from drying out as you work.
10. 10Step 10: Brush the bottom of your pan with melted butter. Lay down your first two sheets of dough onto the tray. One on each side to fully cover your tray. Brush the sheets with melted butter.
11. 11Step 11: Continue to layer 2-3 sheets of dough at a time making sure to brush each layer with more melted butter until you have 15 sheets of dough laid down finishing the last layer with melted butter.
12. 12Step 12: Empty the nut mixture onto the dough and gently spread it evenly with a fork to fully cover the dough.
13. 13Step 13: Begin the layering process again making sure to brush each layer with melted butter until you have another 15 sheets layered on top. Make sure to brush the last sheet evenly with the melted butter.
14. 14Step 14: Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the baklawa into diamond shapes and bake in the oven until golden brown.
15. 15Step 15: Note: It is best to use a sharp knife for this and stand it up straight while cutting. To get even pieces, begin by cutting the whole tray in two halves. Then each half into half again, continue until you have about one inch columns or whatever desired size you prefer. Then cut individual diagonal lines down each column to complete your diamond shapes. Alternatively, you can also just cut baklawa into squares or rectangles.
16. 16Step 16: Take out of the oven and pour the warm simple syrup evenly over the entire thing.
17. 17Step 17: Note: The simple syrup can also be mixed with 2 cups of real honey. This gives the baklawa even more sweetness and a thicker, stickier consistency you commonly find in Tunisia and Algeria.
18. 18Step 18: Let it sit overnight (or a few hours at least) to fully absorb the syrup then run a knife through your original cut marks to help you remove the baklawa pieces.
19. 19Step 19: To serve, place in paper baking cups and arrange on a serving platter.