Coconut Baklava
This Coconut Baklava is the best baklava around. Flaky layers of phyllo sheets filled with an incredibly delicious honey coconut mixture.
Servings: 30 Serves
Ingredients
For the Baklava
- 4 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 1½ cups finely chopped walnuts
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup milk
- ¼ cup honey
- 40 phyllo sheets divided
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1½ cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325˚F.
- Combine coconut, finely chopped walnuts, vanilla, milk, and honey in a bowl, mix well until thoroughly combined and set aside. Mixture should be just moist. If it looks too dry, mix in couple more tablespoons of milk.
- Grease a jellyroll pan with melted butter. You can also use a 9x13 baking pan, but you will have to cut the phyllo sheets to fit.
- Unroll the phyllo sheets; as you work with the phyllo sheets, keep the sheets covered with a damp paper towel so they don’t dry out. You can also use plastic wrap to cover the stack.
- Layer 10 pieces of Phyllo sheets inside the pan, brushing each sheet with melted butter before adding the next.
- Sprinkle about ¾ cups of the coconut mixture over the layered phyllo sheets.
- Continue to layer 5 more phyllo sheets, brushing each sheet with butter before adding the next.
- Sprinkle with more of the coconut mixture. Repeat with 5 more sheets of phyllo and sprinkle with coconut mixture again; repeat this 2 more times.
- Finish the baklava with a layer of 10 phyllo sheets - brushing each sheet with butter - and finally, brush the top with more melted butter.
- Cut the baklava. First, cut it into 4 long rows, and then cut diagonally to make diamond shapes. You can also cut straight across to make square shapes.
- Bake for 55 minutes, or until golden on top.
- Remove from oven and let completely cool.
- In the meantime, prepare the syrup. Combine water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil; lower heat to a simmer and continue to cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.
- Pour the hot syrup over the completely cooled baklava. OR, you can pour cold syrup over hot (just baked) baklava.
- Let stand in a cool dry place, uncovered, for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Notes
Baklava can be stored at room temperature, well covered, for 10 to 14 days. It can also be kept in the fridge.
Nutrition
Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 133mg | Potassium: 82mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 99IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
