This baghlava three color Saffron Recipe makes a Persian layered sweet with almond, saffron-almond and pistachio fillings between two very thin sheets of pastry. The three natural colours appear when the diamonds are cut: pale almond, golden saffron and soft pistachio green.
This is a large-batch baghlava for a 30 × 40 cm tray. Pressing each nut layer evenly is the key step; loose filling creates gaps and causes the baked diamonds to crumble.
Ingredients for the dough
- 500 g plain white flour, plus extra for rolling
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons lukewarm water to start, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons melted ghee or solid vegetable fat
- Pinch of salt
Ingredients for the three-colour filling
- 1 kg finely ground almonds
- 500 g icing sugar
- 200 g finely ground pistachios
- 2 tablespoons ground cardamom
- About 2.3 g saffron (1/2 mithqal), finely ground
- 4 tablespoons melted ghee or solid vegetable fat, for the tray and pastry
Ingredients for a light syrup
- 300 g granulated sugar
- 180 ml water
- 2 tablespoons rose water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
The stored recipe named baghlava syrup but did not give its ingredients. This light sugar-and-rose-water syrup supplies enough moisture for the large tray without drowning the pressed nut layers.
Mix and rest the dough
Whisk the egg, 2 tablespoons lukewarm water, melted fat and salt in a large bowl. Add half the flour and mix. Continue adding flour in small amounts until a smooth, firm dough forms.
If the dough stays dry after the flour is incorporated, add lukewarm water 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead for 5 minutes, cover and rest for 20 minutes. The old 10-minute rest is the minimum; a little longer makes a very thin sheet easier to roll.
Prepare the three natural colours
Reserve 100 g of the icing sugar for the pistachios. Combine the ground almonds with the remaining 400 g icing sugar, then divide the almond mixture into three equal bowls. Stir a little cardamom into each.
Leave the first and third almond portions pale. Grind the saffron to a fine powder and mix it evenly through the second portion. Combine the ground pistachio with the reserved icing sugar and a pinch of cardamom. No artificial food colour is needed.
A dry saffron powder keeps the layer firm. If the threads need softening before grinding, warm them briefly rather than adding liquid. For other uses, our saffron-brewing guide explains infusion.
Roll the bottom pastry sheet
Brush the tray lightly with melted fat. Divide the rested dough into two pieces, making the bottom piece slightly larger.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the larger piece into a sheet wide enough to cover the base and rise 1 cm up the sides. Keep lifting and turning it so it does not stick. Lay it in the tray and smooth out air bubbles without stretching.
Press the nut layers evenly
Spread the pale almond mixture over the pastry. Cover it with baking paper and press firmly with a flat-bottomed pan or measuring cup, then remove the paper.
Add the saffron-almond mixture and press it to the same thickness. Repeat with the pistachio layer, then finish with the remaining pale almond portion. Press the final layer especially carefully so it can support the top pastry.
Check the corners after every layer. A level, compact filling gives clean diamonds; a mound in the centre bakes unevenly.
Cover, cut and bake
Roll the second dough piece very thinly and place it over the filling. Trim the edges and tuck the top sheet against the bottom sheet to enclose the nuts.
Cut the unbaked baghlava into small diamonds with a sharp knife, pressing all the way to the tray. Brush the remaining melted fat over the surface, allowing a little to run into the cuts.
Bake in the centre of a preheated 180°C (350°F) oven for 30 to 40 minutes. It is ready when the pastry is pale golden at the edges and dry on top. Do not wait for a dark brown crust.
Cook the syrup while the tray bakes
Combine the sugar, water and lemon juice in a saucepan. Stir before heating, then bring to a steady simmer and stop stirring. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes.
Take the syrup off the heat and add the rose water. Keep it warm. Hot sugar syrup can cause severe burns, so pour from a jug with a handle and keep hands away from the steam.
Syrup the baghlava in stages
Let the baked tray rest for 5 minutes. Pour one-third of the warm syrup slowly along the cut lines. Wait until it is absorbed, then repeat twice. Stop if syrup begins to pool on the surface.
Leave the baghlava in its tray for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Recut the diamonds along the original lines before lifting them with a thin spatula.
Decorate and store
Finish each diamond with a pinch of ground pistachio. Store the fully cooled baghlava in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 5 days, separating layers with baking paper.
This recipe contains wheat, egg, almonds and pistachios. It may contain dairy if made with ghee.
