Bulbul Yuvasi Baklava (Nightingale Nest)
Learn how to make Bulbul Yuvasi (Nightingale Nest), crispy bite-sized filo pastry Turkish baklavas that are filled with chopped nuts or chocolate.
Servings: 50 pieces
Calories: 81.01kcal
Ingredients
For the Aromatic Sugar Syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 green cardamom
- a squeeze of lemon
- ¼ teaspoon rose water
- ¼ teaspoon orange blossom water optional
For Bulbul Yuvasi Baklava
- 500 grams filo pastry thawed as per pack instructions
- ½ cup melted ghee
- 1 cup finely chopped nuts of choice
Instructions
Prepare the sugar syrup
- Add the sugar, water, lemon juice and cardamom to a deep saucepan and bring to a boil. Do not stir this at any point. Let it boil until all the sugar dissolves.
- Reduce the flame to low and let it simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Switch off and stir in the rose water and orange blossom water, if using.
- Transfer the syrup into a mug to cool completely. You may make this a day ahead and refrigerate it.
Shape the baklava
- Open the filo pastry pack and lay the stack flat on the work surface. Use a sharp knife to cut the stack into four equal parts. That is... cut in half and then cut each half into halves. Keep the sheets covered with a lightly damp cloth or kitchen towel to prevent them from drying and breaking. Work on one single sheet at a time and keep the rest well covered. Have a rimmed baking tray ready to place the shaped baklavas.
- Place a filo sheet on the working surface. Brush it lightly with melted ghee. Now, place a thin rod similar to a wooden skewer, chopstick, pencil, straw, etc. at the end closest to you. Bring an end portion of the sheet over the rod to wrap it, and then start rolling the filo loosely, making sure to stop an inch away from the other end. (This excess will form the base of the baklava). You must roll loosely; otherwise, it will be tough to release from the rod.
- Next, place your hands on the ends of the rolled filo and push towards the centre to gather it like a frill that resembles an accordion or a concertina. Now, carefully slide the ruffled filo out of the rod from one end. Immediately, join both ends to form a circle, making sure the excess ruffled portion forms the base of the piece. Press the joint lightly to adhere; no need to use any flour glue or water. Place the shaped piece on a rimmed baking tray and repeat with the remaining filo sheets. I baked in two batches.
Bake the bracelets
- Preheat the oven to 160℃ with the rack on level 2.
- Arrange the shaped bulbul yuvasi baklavas tightly touching each other so that they don't open up while baking.
- Brush them generously with melted ghee and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. You may have to turn the tray if your oven has hot spots, so the pieces are evenly golden.
Drench in syrup
- Remove from the oven and immediately pour the prepared and cooled syrup, just enough to drench every piece.
Fill the nest
- Fill each piece with crushed nuts of your choice. I chose to fill different things like pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts, biscoff spread, and Hershey's hazelnut kisses. Biscoff seemed to be everyone's favourite, and I wish I had made a batch with only that! Let the baklavas cool completely before you can serve.
Serve and store bulbul yuvasi
- Serve completely cooled baklavas.
- Any leftovers should be stored at room temperature in an airtight container. If you like your baklava cold and chewy, then store it in the refrigerator. These can stay on your counter for more than a week, but I bet they won't last that long because you and your loved ones would have devoured them in no time!
Notes
Have a question or looking for more tips? Please refer to the content above the recipe card. It often contains valuable explanations, tips, and ideas to enhance your cooking experience.
Nutrition
Calories: 81.01kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.89g | Protein: 1.25g | Fat: 4.11g
