Baklava Fingers (Baklawa Fingers)
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Prep Time30 mins.
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Cook Time25 mins.
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Serving10
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Ready In55 mins.
Baklawa or more often known as “Baklava” is definitely the most popular Middle Eastern dessert. Baklava, which is layered buttery phyllo dough filled with crushed spiced nuts, and topped with a simple syrup/honey for a delicious sticky dessert unlike any other. Baklava is incredibly popular throughout the Arab world, Turkey, Iran and so many other nations all over Asia and northern Africa.
The traditional Greek Baklava is topped with honey while the Arab Baklawa is topped with a flavored simple syrup. There are a few other differences like the spices added in with the nuts as well. Baklawa tends to be much lighter, not as heavy as Baklava.
The Lebanese version of Baklawa has the signature orange blossom water and rose water scents throughout. These Baklawa fingers are made with the same ingredients as typical baklawa, but rolled into fingers, making them MUCH easier to enjoy and share with your loved ones!
How to make Baklawa Fingers
These Baklawa fingers are my favorite type of Baklawa to make, and to eat! They are always the ones I go for immediately and tend to be one of the most popular shapes. I love making them for large gathering since they can be served individually and can be made way in advance. I find the longer they sit out, the better they taste. These Baklawa fingers stay fresh up to one month in the fridge.
I use walnuts for the nut filling, however; you can substitute for other nuts such as pistachios which are commonly used in bakeries in Lebanon. You want to use raw, fresh walnuts. I used my food processor to finely chop the walnuts. To flavor them, I like to keep the authentic Lebanese flavor and use the simple syrup along with some extra orange blossom water. Mix with the nuts and set aside.
The rolling process for this recipe is incredibly easy. I make a thin line of the walnut mixture on 2 sheets of phyllo dough, then tightly roll all the way. From there, I line up all the walnut stuffed phyllo next to each other on a baking sheet and top with clarified butter.
The traditional way is to use ghee, or clarified butter. What I do, is melt the butter and set it aside. After about 10 minutes, the milk solids sink to the bottom, and you can pour the “clarified” butter over the phyllo. Definitely use ghee if you have, or just plain old melted butter! It will all be delicious and crispy.
These Baklawa fingers bake in only 20 minutes and are immediately topped with the COOLED simple syrup and crushed pistachios. If you pour the Attar (rose-water syrup) while still hot over the baklawa fingers, the crispy phyllo will get soggy, so make sure the syrup has fully cooled. Slice and serve room temperature.
STEP 1
Begin by making the rose-water syrup so it has time to fully cool. Combine sugar, water and lemon juice over high heat until boiling. Mix and let simmer for 7 minutes. Turn off heat and add the rose water and orange blossom water. Check out the step-by-step here Attar (Rose-Water Syrup)
STEP 2
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Melt the butter and set it aside.
STEP 3
Using a food processor, finely chop your walnuts. Add a 1/4 cup of the cooled rose-water simple syrup, and one tablespoon of orange blossom water to the walnuts and mix to combine.
STEP 4
Unroll the phyllo, and remove two sheets. Cover remaining sheets with damp towel to prevent drying.
Add a thin line of the walnut mixture to the phyllo dough, leaving about 2 inches on the bottom.
Roll it up tightly and place it on a parchment paper-lined baking tray.
STEP 5
Continue rolling the baklawa you finish the phyllo dough and walnut mixture. There should be around 8-10 rolls.
Depending on phyllo dough brand you purchase*
STEP 6
Bake at 375 F for about 20 minutes until crispy and golden brown.
Top it with cooled rose-water syrup….
STEP 7
Slice and serve!
Baklava Fingers (Baklawa Fingers)
Ingredients
- 16 oz. Phyllo Dough
- 2 cups Chopped Walnuts
- 1 tb. Orange Blossom Water
- 1½ cups Clarified butter (Melted)
- 1¾ cups Rose Water Simple Syrup
- ¼ cup Crushed Pistachios
Attar (Rose Water Simple Syrup)¼
- 2 cups Sugar
- 1 cup Water
- 1 tb. Lemon Juice
- 2 tsp. Rose Water
- 1 tsp. Orange Blossom Water
Instructions
- Begin by making the simple syrup so it has time to fully cool. Combine sugar, water and lemon juice over high heat until boiling. Mix and let simmer for 7 minutes. Turn off heat and add the rose water and orange blossom water.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Melt the butter and set it aside.
- Using a food processor, finely chop your walnuts. Add a 1/4 cup of the cooled rose-water simple syrup, and one tablespoon of orange blossom water to the walnuts and mix to combine.
- Unroll the phyllo, and remove two sheets. Cover remaining sheets with damp towel to prevent drying.Add a thin line of the walnut mixture to the phyllo dough, leaving about 2 inches on the bottom. Roll it up tightly and place it on a parchment paper-lined baking tray.
- Continue rolling the baklawa you finish the phyllo dough and walnut mixture. There should be around 10 rolls. Evenly pour the melted butter all over the baklawa.
- Bake at 375 F for about 20 minutes until crispy and golden brown. Top it with cooled rose-water simple syrup and decorate with the crushed pistachios.
- Slice and serve!
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