Sobiyet – Cream Filled Pistachio Baklava
Making perfect Sobiyet (cream-filled baklava) can be a delightful challenge! Here are some tips to help you achieve that delicious result:
1. Choose Quality Ingredients
- Phyllo Dough: Use fresh, high-quality phyllo dough for the best texture.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter for a rich flavor. Clarifying the butter can help prevent sogginess.
- Pasta Fillo: Make sure your cream (like a milk pudding or custard) is thick enough to hold its shape but still smooth.
- Butter Each Layer: Brush melted butter between each layer of phyllo. This helps achieve a flaky texture.
- Don’t Rush: Take your time layering; aim for 10 layers at the bottom for a sturdy base.
- Golden Brown: Look for a deep golden color, which indicates a crispy texture.
- Cold Syrup on Hot Baklava: Prepare a sugar syrup with water, sugar, and a hint of lemon juice. Pour it over the baklava immediately after it comes out of the oven. This helps it absorb the syrup without becoming soggy.
- Resting Time: Allow the baklava to rest for a few hours or overnight before serving. This lets the flavors meld and the layers soak up the syrup properly.
- Garnish: Consider garnishing with crushed nuts or pistachios for an attractive finish.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature. If you have leftovers, be careful not to stack them, as this can ruin the layers.
Cream Filled Pistachio Baklava – Sobiyet
Today, I’m sharing a recipe for Sobiyet, an easy and delightful Turkish cream-filled baklava with pistachios. As it's the first recipe in my agenda, I'm really excited. Sobiyet is incredibly tasty, simple, and won’t stress you out. With a 20-minute preparation time and a baking time of 20-25 minutes, it will brighten up your day. Let’s dive into the recipe!
Ingredients
Prepare the Phyllo Dough
- 10 sheets Phyllo Dough
- 8 oz Butter
Prepare the Syrup
- 1 cup Water
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 piece Lemon for a few drops lemon juice
Prepare the Cream Filling
- 2 cups milk
- 5 tbsp semolina
Extra Filling and Topping
- 1 cup powdered pistachios
Instructions
Prepare the Syrup:
- Add 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water to a saucepan. Place the saucepan directly on the stove and stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes.
- Once done, squeeze a few drops of lemon juice (¼ lemon) into the syrup. The lemon juice will prevent the syrup from crystallizing later. Stir lightly and transfer to a separate container to cool. I prefer transferring it to speed up the cooling process and prevent the syrup from thickening too much.
Prepare the Cream Filling:
- In a saucepan, combine 5 tablespoons of semolina with 2 cups of milk. Stir lightly and cook over medium heat. Stirring occasionally, until it thickens into a pudding-like consistency (about 5 minutes).
- Remove from heat and let it cool. You can transfer it to another container if you like, to prevent it from thickening too much or forming a skin. To avoid condensation, cover it loosely.
Prepare the Phyllo Dough:
- Melt 8 oz of butter and brush it between layers of phyllo dough.
- Phyllo dough dries out and breaks quickly, so work quickly and cover any remaining sheets with a slightly damp cloth.
- Brush each sheet of phyllo with melted butter and layer them, creating a total of 10 layers.
Assemble the Sobiyet:
- Cut the layered phyllo dough into squares, approximately 3 pieces along the short side and 4 pieces along the long side, making 12 large pieces. If you prefer smaller pieces, cut all rectangle sheets in half to make 24 smaller Sobiyet pieces. Place ½ tablespoon of ground pistachios and 1 teaspoon of cream filling in the center of each phyllo square.
- Fold each square into a triangle shape, ensuring the filling is sealed inside. Place the folded pieces on a greased baking tray, overlapping them slightly to prevent them from opening up.
Bake:
- Brush the top of each Sobiyet with the remaining melted butter. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 °F (180 °C) for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Baking times may vary depending on your oven.
Finish:
- Once baked, pour the cooled syrup over the hot Sobiyet. Allow the dessert to absorb the syrup and cool before serving. Decorate the top of the Sobiyet with more pistachios as desired.
