Turkish cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Milk Baklava

Pale baklava variant where sweetened milk, instead of syrup, is poured over the phyllo-walnut layers.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 400 g phyllo sheets (yufka or filo pastry)
• 200 g butter
• 250 g walnuts
• 1 l whole milk
• 350 g sugar
• 50 g pistachios

Instructions

1. Finely chop the walnuts, melt the butter and skim off the clear butter from the top; preheat the oven to 170 °C (340 °F) and grease a baking dish.
2. Lay in half of the phyllo sheets one at a time, brushing each thinly with the butter so a loose, airy layer forms.
3. Spread the walnuts evenly over it, top with the remaining brushed sheets and generously brush the top layer with butter.
4. Using a sharp knife, cut all the way to the bottom into diamond shapes and bake for 40–45 min. until the pastry is pale golden brown and cooked through — it should stay lighter than classic baklava.
5. Meanwhile bring the milk and sugar to a boil and simmer briskly, uncovered, for 5 min.; then let the milk cool to lukewarm.
6. Slowly pour the warm milk over the hot pastry until fully absorbed, let rest for 3 hours at room temperature and serve sprinkled with chopped pistachios.