These Baklava Brownies are made with a white chocolate brownie base, are filled with chopped pistachios and walnuts, and topped with a perfectly crispy and crunchy layer of filo pastry. It perfectly captures the essence of a traditional Baklava while keeping it simple and easy.
Baklava is one of the best Middle Eastern dessert and that’s a claim no one is arguing against. There is something so magical about the crunchy, crispy layers of filo pastry filled with crushed nuts and soaked in sugar syrup, it’s truly delightful.
I think the main reason Baklava is so delicious is because of the combination of textures with the soft filling and the crunchy filo pastry, and the flavor combination with an overload of nuts. I really wanted to bring those two things into a brownie, and here we are.
These brownies are literally perfect and are so Baklava-ish, it’s crazy. The brownie base is made with white chocolate instead of regular milk chocolate. It’s also jam-packed with chopped nuts which take the flavor to a whole new level.
I have used my signature one-bowl fudge brownie recipe with just a few modifications. It’s simple, it’s quick, and it’s absolutely delicious.
The brownie is then topped with a few layers of buttered filo pastry and a sprinkle of sugar and baked until perfectly cooked and golden brown.
It’s surprisingly easy, but a complete showstopper. Let’s get into the recipe.
White Chocolate Brownie
I have chosen a white chocolate base for this brownie as the neutral flavor of white chocolate mixed with nuts is really reminiscent of a traditional Baklava flavor. The recipe follows the same steps as my original fudge brownie recipe, and it comes together in one-bowl with just a hand whisk and a spatula.
Here are the steps for making the white chocolate brownie.
- Place the chocolate and butter in a bowl and melt it over a double boiler until the chocolate is fully melted. Take it off the heat and give it a quick mix until the chocolate and butter are roughly combined.
- While the chocolate is still hot, add the white and brown sugar and whisk for 2-3 minutes. The mixture will be grainy at this step and some if the butter may separated on the sides.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is well combined.
- Finally, add the flour, salt, chopped pistachios, and walnuts and fold gently into the batter with a silicone spatula until the flour is fully combined.
- Pour the batter into the pan and let it rest outside for 5-10 minutes before adding the filo pastry layer.
Do you, like me, also love fusion dessert recipes? Then you might like these, too!
Filo Pastry Layer
The crunchy filo pastry is the most important part of a Baklava, which is why this brownie would be incomplete without it. I like to add 2-3 layers of filo on top of the brownie batter to give the perfect balance of crunchiness to chewiness.
- Once the batter is set, add a layer of filo pastry on top. I like to cut them into strips just to make the assembly easier.
- Brush the filo pastry with melted butter, then add another layer of filo and repeat for a third layer if you want to add an extra one. Make sure the top layer is coated with butter.
- Sprinkle sugar on top, then bake for 30-45 minutes until the brownie is fully cooked. For the last 5 minutes of baking, turn on the top flame to caramelize then filo pastry and sugar properly. Keep an eye on it as it can burn quickly.
- Let the brownie rest for at least 1 hour before slicing.
It’s really one of those recipes that’s literally anyone can make but tastes absolutely delicious. Plus, one-bowl and 30 minutes? How can it get any better?
Ready to make these epic brownies, then? Let’s get started.
PS: I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. Using a measuring scale is the only way to bake accurately. Cups are unreliable and can give different measurements, so I suggest you buy a measuring scale before you start baking! If you can’t get your hands on one, you can use the online tools for converting grams into cups; however, I do not guarantee their accuracy.
Baklava Brownies
Equipment
- 9×9" square pan or 7×9" rectangle pan
- Hand whisk
- Silicone spatula
- Pastry brush optional
Ingredients
- 113 grams white chocolate
- 175 grams unsalted butter
- 200 grams granulated white sugar
- 125 grams brown sugar preferred, but can sub for more white sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 180 grams all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 45 grams chopped pistachios
- 45 grams chopped walnuts
- 3 sheets store-bought filo pastry
- 50 grams butter melted (for layering filo pastry)
- 10 grams granulated white sugar for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
- Line the brownie pan with baking paper to avoid the brownie from sticking to the pan. Leave an overhang of baking paper on either side – this makes it easy to lift the brownies from the pan.
- Melt the chocolate and butter over a double boiler* until both ingredients are fully melted and combined.113 grams white chocolate, 175 grams unsalted butter
- Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar to the chocolate mix and stir it with a whisk until combined while it’s still hot.* The sugar will not dissolve completely, so don’t worry if the batter looks grainy at this point.200 grams granulated white sugar, 125 grams brown sugar
- Once the sugar is combined, add the eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk it again until the eggs are well incorporated into the chocolate batter, about 3-5 minutes.3 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Add the all-purpose flour, salt, chopped pistachios and walnuts and fold them into the chocolate batter using a spatula or a wooden spoon. There should be no streaks of flour left in the batter by the time you’re done mixing it.180 grams all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 45 grams chopped pistachios, 45 grams chopped walnuts
- Transfer the brownie batter to the prepared pan. Let it set at room temperature for 5-10 minutes; this will make the process of adding filo sheets easier.
- Cut the filo pastry into strips and place one layer on top of the brownie batter. Brush it with melted butter then place another layer of filo pastry on top. Repeat for another layer, making sure the top is brushed with melted butter.3 sheets store-bought filo pastry, 50 grams butter
- Sprinkle the sugar on top evenly, then bake the brownie for 30-45 minutes, until the brownie is cooked through. For the last 5 minutes of baking, switch on only the top burner of the oven and bake until the filo pastry and sugar are caramelized, golden, and crispy. Keep an eye as it can burn very easily.10 grams granulated white sugar
- Let the brownies cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
- Melting chocolate: If you’re melting the chocolate in the microwave, do it in 30-second intervals and mix it around after every interval to stop it from burning. You can also melt it on the stovetop using a double boiler. A double boiler basically means placing a pot with chocolate over another pot filled with water. Chocolate cannot be melted directly on the stovetop as it will burn immediately, which is why we place the pot with chocolate over another pot filled with water, the steam from the boiling water in the pan below is what melts the chocolate.
- Adding the sugar into the chocolate batter: It’s important for the chocolate mix to be hot when you add in the sugar, this helps the sugar dissolve in the batter and gives us that crackly top we love.
- Baking the brownies: Remember, we want the brownie to not be cake-y and still have a little goey-ness, so when you test it with a toothpick, the toothpick should have some crumbs and should not come out totally clean.
If you give this recipe a try, don’t forget to let me know how you liked it in the comments. And of course, share it with on Instagram.
Until next time!
