Baklava Bark

I learned to make baklava while studying abroad in Greece. My host mother, Mrs. Kritharalis, showed me how to butter layer upon layer of delicate phyllo dough, stuffing it with chopped nuts, and soaking the pastry in cinnamon and clove-infused honey syrup. 

While I love baklava with a passion, I don’t have the same patience that Mrs. Kritharalis had for buttering and layering. My work-around is a thin cookie of sorts made by layering just 4 sheets of phyllo (instead of 20) with a simple cinnamon, honey, and butter syrup with finely chopped pistachios between the layers. My way takes about 10 minutes to assemble, versus an afternoon. 

Once baked, I cut the crispy phyllo stack into triangles while still warm. The little crisps become shatteringly crisp as they cool and taste a lot like baklava, but perhaps a tad less sweet. Did I mention they make my house smell cinnamazing? 

Baklava Bark Ingredients

Instead of soaking the layers with honey syrup, I combine honey and butter and use a silicone pastry brush to apply it sparingly between the layers. Finely chopped pistachios mixed with sugar act as a buffer between the layers, so the bark remains crisp and light. Here’s everything you’ll need. 

• Phyllo dough:  Use 13 x 18-inch phyllo dough sheets, they’ll fit into a standard half-sheetpan, or a rimmed baking sheet. Store the unused portion in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Use the remainder to make these cashew baklava rolls or Tunisian Brik au Thon, which is phyllo stuffed with a potato, tuna, and egg filling. 
• Honey gives the bark the classic baklava flavor–sweet and floral. You can use any honey here, but using an herbal Greek honey is a nice touch. 
• Butter adds crispness and helps the layers of dough adhere to each other.
• Ground cinnamon is key for the warm, toasty baklava flavor. 
• Whole cloves are optional, but they infuse the honey-butter syrup with a little warmth. Do remove them before brushing the syrup on the phyllo. 
• Sea salt: a pinch enhances the flavors of the other ingredients. 
• Roasted pistachios add crunch and richness to the bark. I like to use shelled, roasted, and salted pistachios from the snack aisle, but unsalted nuts will also work. 
• Sugar: Mixed with the finely ground nuts, the sugar melts and creates crispness. 

How to Make Baklava Bark

The secret is to have all your components ready to go before you open the phyllo dough package. The dough dries out and becomes crumbly fast, so keep the unused portion covered with a damp towel as you work. If the phyllo sheets crack as you work, no worries! You can use pieces of dough from another sheet to patch any areas that look ragged. Here are the steps: 

• Get ready. Defrost 4 (13 x 18-inch) phyllo dough sheets according to package instructions. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a half baking sheet (13 x 18-inch) with parchment paper, cutting it to fit exactly into the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
• Make the pistachio dust. Place 1/4 cup (40g) shelled, roasted pistachios and 2 tablespoons sugar in a food processor and pulse until the nuts are very finely chopped. Alternatively, crush them in a mortar and pestle or chop the nuts and mix them with the sugar. Set aside.  
• Melt the honey-butter mixture. Put the 1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons honey, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, and, if you like, 2 whole cloves in a small microwave-safe measuring cup or a saucepan. Microwave on high for 1 minute or cook over low heat until the butter has melted, 5 minutes.  
• Add honey-butter to the phyllo. Place a sheet of the phyllo dough on the baking sheet. Cover the other sheets of dough with a towel to prevent them from drying out. Drizzle about a third (2 tablespoons) of the butter-honey mixture over the phyllo sheet with a pastry brush. Dab and brush until the dough is evenly covered. 
• Add the pistachio dust. Sprinkle a third (about 2 tablespoons) of the pistachio mixture evenly over the dough. Place another layer of phyllo dough on top and press down to adhere the layers together. Repeat the same process with two more layers of phyllo, butter mixture, and nut mixture.  End with a final sheet of phyllo. 
• Bake the baklava bark. Place a sheet of parchment on top of the phyllo and nest a second baking sheet on top of the pastry, as though stacking them, to weigh it down. Transfer to the oven and bake until the dough is light golden, about 12 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and parchment on top, rotate the baking sheet, and continue to bake the phyllo stack until deep golden brown, about 4 more minutes. Watch carefully to make sure the phyllo doesn’t burn. 
• Cool and cut. Use a large spatula to transfer/pull the phyllo stack and the bottom parchment onto a large cutting board. With the long end facing you, cut the stack into five (3-inch) strips. Cut each strip into 8 triangles. Let cool for 15 minutes, the triangles will crisp up as they stand.  Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. 

Make it Your Own 

• Make it whole grain. You can substitute whole wheat phyllo dough for white flour phyllo dough, though it may be a bit more crumbly.
• Change up the spices. If you don’t have whole cloves, you can substitute a pinch of dried cloves, but be sparing as it’s a strong flavor. You can also substitute the cinnamon and cloves for pumpkin pie spice, which adds a few spice notes. 
• Swap out the nuts. I prefer the buttery flavor of pistachios in my baklava bark, but you can also use toasted walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts if you like. I recommend measuring nuts by weight (40g), as volumes of nuts vary. Always chop whichever nuts you choose very finely so they remain trapped in the layers of phyllo without tearing the delicate dough.  

What to Serve with Baklava Bark

I like to serve the crisps with shots of strong Greek-style coffee alongside a plate of orange slices drizzled with honey.  They also serve as an impressive garnish when inserted into scoops of olive oil ice cream. 

How to Store

Baklava bark will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container. If you have any food-safe desiccant packets (the kind that come in packages of nori or vitamins), add a couple to the storage container to chase away moisture. 

In a humid environment, the crisps may lose some of their crispness. To re-crisp them, arrange them in an even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a 325ºF oven for 5 minutes. Watch them carefully to make sure they don’t burn.