Sweet Baklawa, Katayef Dessert Recipes with Dates, Honey, Cheese and Nuts

Baklawa (or the Greek version, Baklava with a sweet sauce) is a multi-layered Middle Eastern puff or filo pastry dessert. It is filled with dates and chopped nuts, and then sweetened with a sweet syrup or honey. Homemade baklava is a wonderful treat with crisp, flaky phyllo pastry, an aromatic fruit and crunchy nut filling, all smothered in the warm honey syrup. It a perfect dessert for many occasions. There are many local regional varieties including Greek, Lebanese, Turkish and Arabic. Some fo the best Baklava recipes are shown below. Enjoy this wonderful treat, at its best when served warm and homemade with love.

Katayef are heavenly pastry pockets stuffed with delicious Middle Eastern/Arabian fillings. Katayef, also known as Qatayef or Atayef, are served as sweet treats or desserts dish. While having a different composition to Baklava, they share some ingredients and they provide a sweet treat derived from the same general region. The filled pockets of thin pancake can be baked or fried, and then like Baklava, they are drizzled with sweet maple syrup or honey before serving. Some recipes contain dates, nuts and cheese as fillings. Try the range of recipes outlined below.

Homemade Baklawa is a delightful rich treat, snack or dessert loved by all family members, young and old
Homemade Baklawa is a delightful rich treat, snack or dessert loved by all family members, young and old. Source: Public Domain

Healthy Baklawa Recipe with Pistachios, Dates, Walnuts and Olive Oil

Ingredients

For the Syrup

For the Baklawa

To serve

Method

Pre-heat your oven to 150 degrees C (300 degrees F). Make the syrup by adding the date syrup (or similar), vanilla paste, orange juice and water to a small saucepan. Simmer on a very low heat for about 10 minutes. Then, remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool. Next, prepare the baklawa by placing the nuts, dates, orange zest and cinnamon with a pinch of salt into a food processor bowl. Pulse on a medium setting until the mixture is just coarsely chopped. Push a wide baking tray with a tiny amount of olive oil.

Then, lay one sheet of filo on a board or kitchen bench top, with the longer side facing you. Brush the filo sheet all over with a light coating of olive oil, then add a second sheet on top, and brush with olive. Spread about 70 g (2 1/2 oz) of filling over the entire surface of the filo sheets. Position two wooden sticks along one edge and loosely roll the sheet of filo around the sticks. Press the ends together towards the centre, creating folds in the rolled filo and remove the sticks. Transfer the rolled filo to the greased baking tray and brush with olive oil. Repeat with remaining filo sheets, arranging the rolls on the baking tray so that they are touching side by side. Use a very sharp knife, cut each roll into about 5 pieces. Brush the rolls with the remaining olive oil.

Bake the rolls in the pre-heated oven for about 30-40 minutes, until the tops are golden brown in color. Then, remove the baking tray from the oven and while the rolls are still hot pour the cold syrup over them. Allow the rolls to soak up the syrup for about 30 minutes while they cool. Serve with a sprinkling of finely chopped pistachios and toasted sesame seeds.

The light, toasted filo provides the perfect casing for the rich sweet filling
The light, toasted filo provides the perfect casing for the rich sweet filling. Source: Public Domain

Simplified Greek Baklava Recipe

Ingredients

Method

Preheat your oven to around 175 degrees C (350 degrees F). Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) pan. Mix the cinnamon with the chopped nuts and set aside. Unroll phyllo dough, and then slide the entire stack in half to fit in the pan. Cover the phyllo with a moistened cloth to keep it moist while you prepare the layers for the baklava. Place a pair of dough sheets in pan on top of each other, greasing the top layer thoroughly with butter. Repeat with 3 pairs of sheets until you have an 8 sheet stack. Sprinkle 1-2 heaped tablespoons of the nut mixture over the top. Cover with a pair of dough sheets. Butter the surface and add a sprinkle nuts. Add more layers, so that the top layer is about 6-10 sheets deep. Then, using a very sharp knife make a series of diagonal cuts to form diamond shapes, slicing right through to the bottom of the pan. Then, bake for about 50-60 minutes in the pre-heated oven until baklava is golden and crisp. Meanwhile make the sauce by adding the sugar to the one cup of boiling water and stirring until the sugar is melted. Then, add the honey and vanilla, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Next, remove the baklava from oven when it is cooked and immediately pour the sugar sauce over it. Allow the baklava to cool. Serve the diamond shaped pieces immediately.

Classic Baklava Recipe with Walnuts and Honey Sauce

Ingredients

For the baklava

For the syrup

Method

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat and use it to grease the bottom and sides of a large baking pan with sides (9 x 12 in; 30 x 40 cm). Combine the chopped nuts, cinnamon and grounded clove in a large bowl and set aside. Begin the assembly by adding a layer of 10-12 sheets for the base in the baking dish, spreading melted butter between the sheets. Sprinkle the nut mixture over the phyllo base. Top the nuts a top later of 10 phyllo sheets, brushing between each layer with melted butter and adding a sprinkle of nuts. Brush the top with butter and place the baklava and pan in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to make it easier to cut into serving pieces. Next, make a series of slices with a sharp knife right through all the phyllo layers to make squares or diamonds.
Bake the baklava in a pre-heated oven at 150 degrees C (300 degrees F) for about 1 1/2- 2 hours, until all the phyllo layers are crisp and golden.

While the baklava is baking, prepare the syrup by combining all the sauce ingredients, except honey in a small saucepan, Bring to the boil and cook for about 2 minutes. Then take the pan off the heat, stir in the honey and stand aside to cool. When the baklava is cooked and still hot, spoon the cold honey syrup over the hot baklava, until the sauce is fully absorbed. Then, let the baklava cool down before serving warm.

Homemade Katayef are delicate, tasty and sweet
Homemade Katayef are delicate, tasty and sweet. Source: Public Domain

Yeasted Katayef Pancakes Filled with Walnut and Cream Fillings

Ingredients

for the Cream filling

for the Syrup


for the Walnut Filling


Method

Prepare the pancakes by adding the semolina, flour, sugar, yeast, salt, baking powder and 1 3/4 cups warm water to a large mixing bowl and whisking until smooth. Cover and set aside in a warm place for about 2 hours until mixture is bubbly and has risen.

Prepare the syrup, by combining the sugar with one cup of water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and then lower to a simmer, add the lemon juice, and cook slowly for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the rosewater. Set aside to cool until ready to use.

Prepare the cream filling by combining all the ingredients in a saucepan and whisking to mix well. Simmer over medium heat, whisking frequently, for 2–3 minutes until the cream filling thicken. Transfer to a bowl, set aside and refrigerate until chilled.

Prepare the walnut filling by adding all the ingredients to a bowl, mixing well, and setting aside.

Add about 1/4 cup of water to the pancake batter and mix well. Heat a heavy-base, non-stick frying pan or Dutch oven over moderate heat and add 2 teaspoon of butter. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of batter into the pan. Lift and rotate the pan to spread the batter out into a thin layer. Cook for 2 minutes until the top is bubbly and just dry. Do not turn the pancake over. Check that the bottom of the pancake is light brown. Then, lift the pancake from the pan and allow to cool for about 2 minutes. Cook the remaining pancakes. Then, place 2 teaspoon of either cream or walnut filling into the centre of each pancake. Fold the pancake in half and then pinch the edges together to form a pocket and seal. Repeat with remaining butter, pancake mix and filling. Serve the Katayef pancakes by drizzling with syrup and topping with pistachios.

The delicate fillings are encased in very thin pastry pockets, which are smothered in sugar syrup, honey or maple syrup
The delicate fillings are encased in very thin pastry pockets, which are smothered in sugar syrup, honey or maple syrup. Source: Public Domain

Katayef Recipe with Dates and Ricotta

Ingredients

for the Katayef batter

for the Date and Ricotta filling

for the Garnish


Method

Prepare the Katayef batter by adding all the wet and dry ingredients into a blender bowl. Pulse for 2-3 minutes to create a very thin mixture. It should be a little thinner than classic pancake batter. If it is too thick, add a tablespoon or so of water and mix again. Then, set the batter aside to rest for 15-20 minutes.

Next, heat a non-stick pan to moderate heat. For medium sized Katayef pour in batches of 2 tablespoons of mixture, tilting the pan to spread. The Katayef should show bubbles spreading from the outside to cover the entire surface. Cook on one side only, WITHOUT flipping on the other side. until the upper surface is dry and the bottom is light golden. Set the pancakes aside without stacking them, or they will stick together. Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees C (390 degrees F).

Next, make the filling by combining all the ingredients in a bowl to combine. To each Katayef pancake, bubbly side up, add 1-2 tablespoons of filling. The pancake should close comfortably without tearing. Fold the edges of the pancake into the center so that it forms a half moon. Firmly pinch the sides with your fingertips to seal. Repeat the process to fill each Katayef. At this point, they can be frozen and stored for 1-2 months for later use. Arrange the Katayef on a baking sheet and brush with melted butter. Bake for about 10-12 minutes until crisp and light golden brown in color, flipping over half way through the baking. To serve, drizzle them with maple syrup and garnish with dried rose petals and chopped pistachio nuts.