Diamond & Star Shaped Greek Baklava

Two ways to make the easiest and BEST baklava!

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When served at a dinner party, diamond and star-shaped Greek baklava will be a hit for two reasons, its deliciousness and beauty. Cutting it in intricate ways really makes the whole pie and each piece feel special and fancy. So, I want to show you the easy way to cut baklava in both diamond shapes and a whole star-shaped pie. I’m also giving you two variations of baklava to pick your favorite or try both! Pistachio baklava is an easy twist, and you can’t go wrong with the classic sticky sweet baklava full of almonds, walnuts, cinnamon, and cloves. Plus, never go without baklava again by making both at the same time and freezing one!

Why you’ll always have one in the freezer

Buttery, crispy phyllo

Sweet sticky syrup

Toasty, crunchy nuttiness

Warm spices or fresh, light rosewater

Unbelievably delicious, freshly homemade baklava that’s easy to make and beautiful!

Everything you need

For the Pistachio Baklava

• #4 phyllo pastry -thawed and at room temperature
• Unsalted butter -melted

Syrup

• Granulated sugar
• Greek honey -because it’s the best, but use what you have
• Water
• Juice of half of a lemon
• Rosewater -or orange blossom water
• Pure vanilla extract

Pistachio Filling

• Pistachios -finely chopped, roasted, salted or unsalted

For the Traditional Greek Baklava

• #4 phyllo pastry -thawed and at room temperature
• Unsalted butter -melted

Syrup

• Granulated sugar
• Greek honey -again, the best!
• Water
• Juice of half a lemon

Filling

• Walnuts –coarsely ground 
• Almonds -coarsely ground
• Ground cinnamon -I like to go heavy on this
• Ground cloves

Working with phyllo

Working with phyllo is easy if you follow a few tips. First, you’ll find it in your supermarket’s freezer section, and you should keep it frozen until you’re ready to use it. Move it to the refrigerator the night before you make your baklava. Then, set it on the counter to come to room temperature for at least an hour before you’ll work with it. Be sure to leave the phyllo in the package while it’s on the counter, so it doesn’t dry out. Remove the phyllo from the package when you’re ready, and store any leftovers refrigerated in plastic for up to a week.

How to make Diamond and Star shaped Greek Baklava

For the Diamond-Shaped Classic Baklava

1. Make the syrup by combining the water and sugar and bringing it to a boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the honey and lemon juice. 
2. Stir and set aside to cool completely.

**Baker’s tip!** Make the syrup up to 3 days ahead and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

3. Combine the walnuts, almonds, cinnamon, and cloves in a bowl and toss together to combine.
4. Preheat the oven to 325 °F, 160 °C.
5. Cut the phyllo into 2 stacks so that the sheets fit the inside of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
6. Brush the inside of the baking dish with melted butter.
7. Layer 8-10 sheets on the bottom of the pan and top with a handful of the nut mixture.
8. Top with 3-4 phyllo layers and continue with a layer of nuts and 3-4 layers of phyllo until 8-10 phyllo layers remain for the top.

**See the diagram for cutting!**

9. Using a sharp knife, cut 3 straight cuts running parallel to the long side of the pan. You will end up with 4 rows. 
10. Then, make diagonal cuts beginning at one corner of the pan and ending at the opposite corner. Make the cuts the size that you’d like your baklava to be. Pour the butter over the baklava. 
11. Sprinkle some water over the edges of the baklava to keep the edges from burning.
12. Bake on the center rack for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until golden all around.
13. As soon as the baklava comes out of the oven, pour 3/4 of the syrup on top if you prefer dryer baklava. Reserve the remaining syrup for later (on other desserts, in smoothies, etc.), or pour all of the syrup on top for super syrupy baklava.
14. Set aside at room temperature for 4-5 hours until set.
15. Serve with coffee.

For the Star-Shaped Pistachio Baklava

1. Make the syrup by combining the water and sugar and bringing it to a boil. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and add the honey, lemon juice, rosewater, and vanilla extract. 
2. Stir and set aside. Cool completely.

**Baker’s tip!** Make the syrup up to 3 days ahead and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

3. Combine the walnuts, almonds, cinnamon, and cloves in a bowl and toss together to combine.
4. Preheat the oven to 325 °F, 160 °C.
5. Unroll the phyllo and cut it into a circle to fit the inside of a 10-12-inch round pan.
6. Brush the inside of the pan with butter and stack 6-8 phyllo layers on the bottom. 
7. Sprinkle a handful of the pistachios on top. 
8. Layer 3 round phyllo sheets over the nuts and add the scraps in between as well.
9. Top with pistachios and then 3 more phyllo layers and some scraps. End with 8 phyllo layers for the top.

**See the diagram for cutting!**

10. Cut the baklava into 4 equal portions and then follow the diagram in the post to create the star pattern.
11. Pour the butter on top and bake on the center rack until golden and crisp -about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
12. As soon as the baklava comes out of the oven, pour enough syrup to cover the pastry. Store the remaining syrup in the refrigerator.
13. Allow the baklava to cool completely -about 5 hours.

The Diagrams:

Freezer & Make-ahead Instructions

Who doesn’t want baklava on hand and ready at a moment’s notice? All you have to do is assemble the baklava and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. It will keep fresh in the freezer for 2 months. The night before you’d like to serve it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and bake it at 325 °F until golden. Pour syrup on top and serve when it has completely set.

Serving

The hardest part about this recipe is waiting for it to cool completely. It smells amazing and makes your mouth water just by knowing it’s there. However, it’s best to wait patiently for 5-6 hours while the baklava cools and sets. All of the syrup will have a chance to absorb, the pieces will hold their shape, and it will be easier to serve. Make some hot Greek coffee for your gathering because the bitterness is the perfect compliment to the sweet baklava. Send me pictures of your cut baklava! I’d love to see them. Kali Orexi!

More Baklava

• Easy & Delicious Pistachio Baklava
• Greek Baklava Mini Triangles
• Tiganites: Greek-Style Pancakes with Greek Honey & Baklava Nuts
• Chocolate Hazelnut Baklava Pie
• Baklava Apple Pie/Tart
• Baklava Spirals