BAKLAVA WITH SOUR CHERRIES AND POPPY SEED

Baklava is a very tasty specialty and I've already shared 2-3 baklava recipes here. But baklava with sour cherries is an amazing pleasure 🙂 I've said many times that I love poppy seed so I added some in this recipe. Of course you can prepare this baklava without poppy seed and keep the cherries only. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

For the filling:
  • 14 layers phyllo dough for baklava (the thinner ones, not those for pie)
  • 500 g cherries without seeds
  • 300 g sugar
  • 100 ml oil for cooking
  • 100 g bread crumbs
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 sachet baking powder (10 g)
  • 2-3 tbs of poppy seed
For the syrup:
  • 400 g sugar
  • 300 ml water
  • 2-3 slices of lemon
Preparation:
  1. First prepare the syrup - mix the water with the sugar and cook for 10 minutes. Then add the lemon slices and cook for a few minutes.
  2. Beat well eggs in a bowl, beat until foamy. Add the sugar, cooking oil, bread crumbs and baking powder and stir all well. Add the poppy seed and stir.
  3. Apply a thin layer of oil in a baking pan and place 2 layers of phyllo. Add 2-3 tbs of the filling and apply all over. Add the filling on every layer and add 1/3rd of cherries on the 4th layer, on the 8th and on the 12th layer. The last layer is not coated with the filling.
  4. Before baking, cut baklava in desired forms and put to bake at 200 C degrees until t gets a nice rosy color. When cooled a little, pour over the previously prepared syrup.
  5. Serve baklava when all syrup is soaked and when completely cool. It's the best to serve the next day.
Enjoy!