Apricot And Pistachio Baklava With Orange Cardamom Syrup Recipe

Ingredients for Apricot And Pistachio Baklava With Orange Cardamom Syrup

• Phyllo Dough
• 1 cup shelled pistachios
• Dried Apricots
• Granulated Sugar
• Unsalted Butter
• ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• Ground Cardamom

How to Make Apricot And Pistachio Baklava With Orange Cardamom Syrup

1. **Thaw Phyllo:** Thaw the phyllo dough overnight in the refrigerator. Transfer to the counter 1.5-2 hours before using to come to room temperature.
2. **Prepare Filling:** Combine 1 cup shelled pistachios, 1 ½ cups chopped California or Turkish apricots (see tip in description), and ½ cup granulated sugar in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped (30-45 seconds). Set aside.
3. **Assemble Baklava:** Unfold one package of phyllo sheets and stack them flat on your work surface. Cover with plastic wrap, letting excess hang over the edges. Dampen a kitchen towel, wring it out, and drape it over the plastic wrap to prevent drying.
4. **Butter & Layer:** Melt ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter in a saucepan. Brush the bottom of a 9x13 inch metal baking pan with some melted butter. Carefully lay one phyllo sheet in the pan, brush lightly with butter (don’t soak!), and repeat with about 10 sheets. If your pan has angled sides, trim excess phyllo at every few layers.
5. **Add Filling:** Sprinkle one-third of the pistachio-apricot filling evenly over the phyllo layers.
6. **Repeat Layers:** Repeat steps 4 and 5 with the remaining phyllo sheets and filling from the first package, ending with a layer of phyllo.
7. **Second Package:** Repeat steps 3-6 with the second package of phyllo sheets, adding the remaining filling after about half the sheets are layered.
8. **Freeze & Score:** Loosely cover and freeze the baklava for 30 minutes. Using a sharp, serrated knife, cut the baklava diagonally into 1 ½-inch diamond shapes, cutting all the way through to the bottom of the pan.
9. **Bake:** Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake until golden brown (40-45 minutes).
10. **Cool & Cut:** Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Run a knife along the cut lines to aid syrup absorption.
11. **Make Syrup:** In a small saucepan, simmer 1 cup granulated sugar and ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and the liquid is clear (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon ground cardamom.
12. **Syrup & Set:** Pour the syrup evenly over the baklava, allowing it to soak into the cuts. Let cool completely to room temperature before serving. Best served after 24 hours; will keep at room temperature for up to 5 days.
13. **Make Ahead:** This baklava can be made ahead of time; it tastes best after 24 hours.