Soğuk Baklava - Cold Baklava with Milk

5 from 1 vote

Soğuk Baklava, or “Cold Baklava with Milk,” is a lighter, milk-based take on the traditional Turkish dessert Pistachio Baklava.

Prep Time25

Cook Time55

Total Time1 20

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Turkish

Diet: Halal, Low Salt, Vegetarian

Servings: pieces

Calories: 147kcal

In a saucepan, mix the milk, double cream, and sugar. Place the saucepan over medium heat, stirring continuously until the sugar dissolves completely.
Allow the mixture to come to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature. It's important to pour cold syrup over the hot baklava to achieve the desired texture.

If using frozen phyllo dough, ensure it's fully thawed. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Trim the filo sheets to fit a tray size of 9"x9" (22 cm x 22 cm). Cover the sheets with a damp cloth to prevent drying.
Mix the melted clarified butter and vegetable oil in a bowl.
Place the first sheet of phyllo dough in the dish and brush it with the melted butter mixture. You don’t need to brush each layer thoroughly.
Repeat this process, layering and buttering each sheet, until you've used half of the phyllo sheets.
Evenly distribute the chopped nuts over the layered phyllo sheets and then press them down lightly.
Place the remaining phyllo sheets over the nut layer, brushing each with melted butter.
Once all sheets are layered, brush the top with butter and cut the baklava into desired shapes and sizes, such as squares or diamonds.

Place the prepared baklava in the oven and bake for approximately 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
Once the baklava is out of the oven, let it rest for 5 minutes, and then pour the cooled milk syrup evenly over the hot baklava.
Bring the baklava to room temperature and let it soak up the syrup in the fridge overnight.
Before serving, sprinkle some cocoa powder and icing sugar mixture on top to make it taste and look even better.

Frozen phyllo works, but fresh gives a crispier texture. If using frozen, let it fully thaw in the fridge and keep it covered with a damp cloth while you work so it doesn’t dry out.
Each layer of phyllo needs a light brush of melted butter to keep things crispy and golden. Don't skimp on it, make sure it’s unsalted and clarified so it doesn’t throw off the flavor.
Chop the nuts finely! You want a nice, even layer that sticks together without being too chunky. A food processor works great for this, but don’t grind them into dust—keep some texture.
Make the syrup in advance and make sure it is at room temperature before adding it to the freshly baked, hot baklava.
Stick to a moderate oven temperature (around 175°C / 350°F) and give it time to turn golden without burning. Check the color of the top layer—golden brown is your signal to pull it out.
Let the cold baklava rest in the fridge overnight for the flavors to settle, the syrup to soak in properly, and the whole thing to firm up into the perfect cold treat.
Add your cocoa powder and powdered sugar right before serving. This keeps it looking fresh and prevents the top from getting wet or sticky in the fridge.
Low-fat milk can make the syrup too thin. Whole milk gives a richer, silkier result that pairs better with the nuts and phyllo.
Cut your Cold Baklava with Milk into portions before baking—once the phyllo bakes, it turns super crispy and can be really hard to slice without cracking or crumbling it.