Ingredients
- 225 g phyllo pastry
- 250 g chopped walnuts
- 170 g melted unsalted butter
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 180 ml Québec maple syrup
- 45 ml water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Method
- Layer half the phyllo in a buttered 23 cm pan, brushing each sheet with butter; spread over the walnuts and cinnamon.
- Add the remaining phyllo, buttering each sheet, then cut into diamonds before baking.
- Bake at 175 °C for 40–45 minutes, until deeply golden.
- Simmer the maple syrup, water, lemon juice, and zest for 3 minutes; pour the hot syrup over the hot baklava.
- Cool completely before serving.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 250 g granulated sugar in the syrup
Conversion used: Replace 250 g sugar with 180 ml maple syrup; reduce the traditional syrup water to 45 ml because maple syrup supplies moisture; bake at 175 °C instead of 190 °C.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple adds caramel, wood, and vanilla notes that complement walnuts and lemon. It replaces refined sugar with a distinctive Québec ingredient and avoids a separate sugar syrup base.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →