What happens when Balkan tradition meets the ultimate Western comfort food? We are bridging the gap between two worlds by infusing classic baklava elements directly into a fudgy cocoa brownie. This isn’t just a dessert; it is a fragrant, crunchy, and syrupy reinvention of heritage that you have to see to believe.

We infuse our syrup with fragrant rose water to cut through the dark chocolate, creating a sophisticated, aromatic fusion that honors our heritage while reinventing the classic brownie.

Ingredients

For the Baklava

• 500 g phyllo pastry (fillo dough)

Chocolate Pecan-Walnut Filling

• 2 eggs
• 200 g sugar
• 100 g melted butter
• 200 ml yogurt
• 100 g breadcrumbs
• 300 g roasted crushed walnuts and pecans (mixed)
• 40 g unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-process preferred)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp instant coffee powder (optional, but recommended)
• 50–70 g chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips (optional)

For Brushing the Layers

• 70 g melted butter
• 70 g oil

Syrup

• 750 ml water
• 650–700 g sugar
• 3 slices of lemon
• 2 tsp rose water

Instructions

• Prepare the Syrup – In a saucepan combine water, sugar, lemon slices, and rose water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10–12 minutes until slightly sticky but not too thick. Remove from heat and let cool completely. (Cold syrup + hot baklava = best texture.)
• Prepare the Filling – In a large bowl, whisk eggs and sugar. Add melted butter and yogurt; mix well. Stir in breadcrumbs, crushed walnuts & pecans, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt, and instant coffee powder. Fold in chopped chocolate if using. Let rest 5–10 minutes (crumbs and cocoa absorb moisture). If too thick, add 2–3 tbsp milk or yogurt until spreadable (like thick brownie batter).
• Assemble the Baklava – Grease a 9×13-inch pan. Preheat oven to 175°C / 350°F. Cut phyllo sheets in half (from 500 g,  you’ll get about 34 half-sheets). Divide into three bunches (11+11+12). The number of sheets depends on the type of phyllo you are using.
•  Place 11 sheets on the bottom, brushing lightly with melted butter between layers. Spread half the chocolate filling evenly. 
• Add another 11 buttered sheets, and spread the remaining filling. 
• Finish with 12 buttered sheets on top. Tuck edges neatly.
• Cut Before Baking – Using a sharp knife, cut into diamond shapes. Pour the remaining melted butter over the top. Brush baklava edges with water so that the top sheets don’t fly around during baking.
• Bake – Bake at 175°C / 350°F for 45–55 minutes until deeply golden brown and crisp on top. A slightly darker bake enhances the chocolate flavor.
• Add the Syrup – Immediately pour cold syrup evenly over hot baklava (you should hear a sizzle). Let absorb for several hours, ideally overnight.
• Chocolate Finish (optional) – Drizzle melted dark chocolate over cooled baklava, and place ½ pecan or walnut on each piece.

Serving Suggestions – Serve with coffee, espresso, milk, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream. Tastes even better the next day.

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Brownie Baklava (Balkanska čokoladna baklava fuzija)

Šta se desi kada balkanska tradicija sretne vrhunsku zapadnu udobnu hranu? Mi premošćavamo jaz između dva sveta unošenjem klasičnih elemenata baklave direktno u fudži kakao brownie. Ovo nije samo desert – to je mirisna, hrskava i sirupasta reinvencija nasleđa koju morate videti da biste poverovali.

Naš sirup aromatizujemo mirisnom ružine vodice koja preseca tamnu čokoladu, stvarajući sofisticiranu, aromatičnu fuziju koja odaje počast našem nasleđu dok iznova izmišlja klasični brownie.

Sastojci

Za baklavu

• 500 g filo testa

Čokoladni orah fil

• 2 jajeta
• 200 g šećera
• 100 g otopljenog putera
• 200 ml jogurta
• 100 g prezli
• 300 g pečenih krupno mlevenih oraha i pecana (mešano)
• 40 g nezaslađenog kakao praha (poželjno Dutch-process)
• 1 kašičica cimeta
• prstohvat soli
• 1 kašičica instant kafe (opciono, ali preporučujemo)
• 50–70 g seckane tamne čokolade ili čokoladnih kapljica (opciono)

Za premazivanje listova

• 70 g otopljenog putera
• 70 g ulja

Sirup

• 750 ml vode
• 650–700 g šećera
• 3 kriške limuna
• 2 kašičice ružine vodice

Uputstvo

• Priprema sirupa – U šerpi pomešajte vodu, šećer, kriške limuna i ružinu vodicu. Prokuvajte, pa kuvajte 10–12 minuta dok ne postane blago lepljiv, ali ne previše gust. Sklonite sa vatre i potpuno ohladite. (Hladan sirup + vruća baklava = najbolja tekstura.)
• Priprema fila – U velikoj posuli umutite jaja i šećer. Dodajte otopljeni puter i jogurt; dobro promešajte. Umešajte prezle, mlevene orahe i pecane, kakao, cimet, so i instant kafu. Opciono umešajte seckanu čokoladu. Ostavite da odstoji 5–10 minuta (prezle i kakao upijaju vlagu). Ako je previše gusto, dodajte 2–3 kašike mleka ili jogurta – tekstura treba da bude maziva, poput gustog brownie testa.
• Sastavljanje baklave – Podmažite pleh veličine 23×33 cm. Zagrejte rernu na 175°C. Listove kora prepolovite – od 500 g dobićete oko 34 polulista. Podelite u tri gomile (11+11+12). Stavite 11 listova na dno, blago premazujući otopljenim puterom između svakog. Rasporedite polovinu čokoladnog fila. Dodajte još 11 puterom premazanih listova, pa drugu polovinu fila. Završite sa 12 listova na vrhu, svaki lagano premazan puterom. Uvucite ivice.
• Sečenje pre pečenja – Oštrim nožem isecite na oblike dijamanta. Prelijte preostalim otopljenim puterom po vrhu.
• Pečenje – Pecite na 175°C 45–55 minuta dok ne postane duboko zlatno smeđe i hrskavo odozgo. Malo tamnije pečenje pojačava ukus čokolade.
• Dodavanje sirupa – Odmah prelijte hladan sirup ravnomerno preko vruće baklave (trebalo bi da čujete blago šištanje). Ostavite da upije sirup nekoliko sati, idealno preko noći.
• Čokoladna završnica (opciono) – Prelijte otopljenom tamnom čokoladom preko ohlađene baklave ili stavite po pola oraha/pecana na svaki komad.

Serviranje – Služite uz tursku kafu, espresso, mleko, šlag ili sladoled od vanile. Baklava je još bolja sutradan.