Pakhlava (Azerbaijani Walnut and Saffron Baklava)
The Novruz baklava of Azerbaijan, thin soft dough layers around cardamom walnuts, glazed with saffron and soaked in lemon syrup.
- Time3 hr
- LevelHard
- Costabout £0.41 a head
- Oven170°C (150°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Mix the flour and yeast. Add the warm milk, egg, soured cream and 60 g melted butter and knead for 8 minutes into a smooth, soft dough. Cover and rest for 1 hour.
60 min - 2
Mix the walnuts, 100 g sugar and the cardamom for the filling. Heat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan) and grease a 20 x 30 cm tin.
- 3
Divide the dough into 8 balls. Roll each as thin as you can into a rectangle to fit the tin. Lay 3 sheets in the tin, brushing each with melted butter.
- 4
Scatter half the filling, then add 2 more sheets, brushing each with butter. Add the rest of the filling and finish with the last 3 sheets, buttered well.
- 5
Cut into diamonds with a sharp knife through all the layers. Mix the egg yolks with the saffron and brush over the top.
- 6
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until deep golden. Meanwhile, simmer the syrup sugar, water and lemon juice for 8 minutes and cool.
46 min 40 s - 7
Pour the cool syrup over the hot pakhlava and leave for at least 2 hours before serving.
120 min
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
