Traditional Azerbaijani Walnut Baklava 🇦🇿 | The Taste of the East

Azerbaijani Baklava Recipe | Homemade Traditional Dessert

Today we’re making **traditional Azerbaijani baklava** — rich, buttery, layered with walnuts, and soaked in fragrant sugar syrup. This recipe is made in a **36 cm round baking pan**, and one cup equals **200 ml**.

### Ingredients

### Dough

* 1 cup milk
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* ½ teaspoon yeast
* 1 packet vanilla sugar
* 1 whole egg
* 1 egg white (yolk reserved for topping)
* A pinch of salt
* 150 g butter, melted
* 4 cups flour (add gradually after 3.5 cups)

### Filling

* 300 g walnuts, finely ground
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 teaspoon cardamom

### Between the Layers & Top

* 300 g butter, melted

### Topping

* 1 egg yolk
* 1 tablespoon milk

### Syrup

* 2.5 cups sugar
* 2 cups water
* Juice of ¼ lemon

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### Instructions

1. **Prepare the Dough**
Warm the milk slightly and mix it with sugar and yeast. Let it activate for a few minutes. Add the egg, egg white, vanilla, salt, and melted butter. Gradually add flour and knead until you get a soft, smooth dough. Cover and let it rest for 30–40 minutes.

2. **Prepare the Filling**
Mix the ground walnuts with sugar and cardamom. Set aside.

3. **Roll and Layer**
Divide the dough into small equal balls. Roll each one very thin. Grease the baking pan with butter and place the first layer. Brush with butter, add the next layer, and repeat. After several layers, spread a portion of the walnut filling. Continue layering dough, butter, and filling until finished.

4. **Cut and Decorate**
Cut the baklava into traditional diamond shapes. Mix egg yolk with milk and brush the top evenly.

5. **Bake**
Bake in a preheated oven at **170–180°C (340–355°F)** for about **50–60 minutes**, until golden brown.

6. **Prepare the Syrup**
Boil sugar and water for 10 minutes. Add lemon juice and simmer for another 2–3 minutes. Let it cool slightly.

7. **Finish**
Pour warm syrup over hot baklava. Let it rest for several hours (or overnight) so it absorbs all the flavor.

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### Enjoy!

Your homemade **Azerbaijani baklava** is ready — crispy layers, nutty filling, and perfectly balanced sweetness. If your kitchen smells amazing, congratulations… you did everything right 😌🔥

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