Orange-Scented Baklava Syrup

[d_kakavouli]

My family changed its baklava syrup during Christmas. It involved orange, cinnamon, maybe cloves. I don't quite remember and the recipe got lost! I've tried to figure out what everyone did. It may have died with my grandmother. Her sister is still alive but she never really cooked so has no clue.

I don't know where to start, but I've had a few failed attempts:

- Attempt 1 - Made syrup only from sugar and added orange zest, cinnamon stick, and a few cloves. It tasted bitter and too pungent.
- Attempt 2 - Reduced some of the sugar and water and added honey instead.
- Attempt 3 - Kept the sugar/honey proportions, eliminated the clove, and added an extra cinnamon stick.

Attempt 3 got closer. I feel like I am on a wild goose chase. Did anyone else's families change things up for their baklava around Christmas?

 

[Voula]

My family changed its baklava syrup during Christmas. It involved orange, cinnamon, maybe cloves. I don't quite remember and the recipe got lost! I've tried to figure out what everyone did. It may have died with my grandmother. Her sister is still alive but she never really cooked so has no clue.

I don't know where to start, but I've had a few failed attempts:

- Attempt 1 - Made syrup only from sugar and added orange zest, cinnamon stick, and a few cloves. It tasted bitter and too pungent.
- Attempt 2 - Reduced some of the sugar and water and added honey instead.
- Attempt 3 - Kept the sugar/honey proportions, eliminated the clove, and added an extra cinnamon stick.

Attempt 3 got closer. I feel like I am on a wild goose chase. Did anyone else's families change things up for their baklava around Christmas?

Hi! In my baklava recipe, I use lemon, but you could easily replace it with orange. Have a look and let me know!

 

[Luana]

I learned to make baklava from a cousin of my mother who was from Greece. She said never never ever use honey for syrup because it is too sweet. She taught me 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water boiled until syrup constancy, a bit of cinnamon, lemon or orange peel, though I don't recall cloves. Compliments I received were that my baklava was not so sweet you didn't feel like you had to brush your teeth right after eating it. Maybe they make it sweeter in Greece, not sure, but baklava should taste like nuts and butter with the phyllo dough, and sweetness. At least that's my thought.

 

[k_tsoukalas]

Your family's Christmas baklava syrup sounds so special—it’s worth the effort to recreate it! Based on your attempts, I’d suggest a few tweaks to get closer to what you remember.

First, for the bitterness, try blanching the orange zest briefly in hot water before adding it to the syrup to remove the sharp edge. Stick with just one cinnamon stick, as too much can overpower the flavors. Keep the cloves, but limit it to just 1-2 for a subtle hint rather than a dominant taste.

Honey is a great addition for depth and holiday warmth. A good ratio might be 2 parts sugar, 1 part honey, and 3 parts water. Simmer the syrup gently with the zest, cinnamon, and cloves for 10-15 minutes to let the flavors meld without becoming too concentrated.

Some families add a splash of orange juice or a few drops of vanilla extract for extra nuance.

 

[Voula]

I learned to make baklava from a cousin of my mother who was from Greece. She said never never ever use honey for syrup because it is too sweet. She taught me 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water boiled until syrup constancy, a bit of cinnamon, lemon or orange peel, though I don't recall cloves. Compliments I received were that my baklava was not so sweet you didn't feel like you had to brush your teeth right after eating it. Maybe they make it sweeter in Greece, not sure, but baklava should taste like nuts and butter with the phyllo dough, and sweetness. At least that's my thought.

In my Baklava recipe, I only use organic Greek honey, which isn't as sweet as the ordinary honey sold in supermarkets and everyone tells me my baklava is buttery, crunchy, and not overly sweet. It really depends on the honey you use, but it is easier to just make a simple sugar syrup.

 

[Voula]

Your family's Christmas baklava syrup sounds so special—it’s worth the effort to recreate it! Based on your attempts, I’d suggest a few tweaks to get closer to what you remember.

First, for the bitterness, try blanching the orange zest briefly in hot water before adding it to the syrup to remove the sharp edge. Stick with just one cinnamon stick, as too much can overpower the flavors. Keep the cloves, but limit it to just 1-2 for a subtle hint rather than a dominant taste.

Honey is a great addition for depth and holiday warmth. A good ratio might be 2 parts sugar, 1 part honey, and 3 parts water. Simmer the syrup gently with the zest, cinnamon, and cloves for 10-15 minutes to let the flavors meld without becoming too concentrated.

Some families add a splash of orange juice or a few drops of vanilla extract for extra nuance.

Honey is amazing with baklava!