This reinvented baklava swaps filo pastry for thin dried apple chips, layered with a walnut and date filling scented with cinnamon, cardamom and clove. Served with a smooth vanilla cream and sprinkled with crushed pistachios, it keeps the crunch and indulgence of the original, in a fully raw, plant-based version. Allow a day to dry the apples: the assembly itself is very quick.
Raw baklava with apple chips, walnuts and dates
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Ingredients
Baklava
- 2 large apples
- 150 g walnuts
- 150 g pitted dates
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 pinch each of ground cinnamon, cardamom and clove
Vanilla cream
- 150 g raw cashews, soaked
- 80 ml filtered water
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
To finish
- 30 g crushed pistachios
Method
- The day before, slice the apples very thinly with a mandoline and dry them for 6 to 8 hours in the dehydrator, until crisp.
- On the day, blend the walnuts, dates, honey and spices in the food processor until you get a sticky filling.
- Line a square tin with cling film and cover the base with a third of the apple chips, packed closely together.
- Spread half the filling on top, add a second third of the chips, then the rest of the filling, and finish with the last chips.
- Press the whole thing down gently to seal the layers together.
- Cut into nine squares (or more) with a very sharp knife.
- For the cream, blend the drained cashews, water, honey and vanilla until smooth.
- Serve the squares topped with vanilla cream and sprinkled with pistachios.
Tip
Choose firm, slightly tart apples: they dry without going soft and balance the sweetness of the filling. Assemble the baklava at the last minute, as the chips absorb moisture from the filling after a few hours.
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FAQ: your questions about raw apple baklava
Where does baklava come from?
Baklava as we know it today took shape in the kitchens of the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, under the Ottoman Empire. Its roots are older and disputed, between traditions from Central Asia, Persia and Byzantium, which explains why Turks, Greeks, Armenians and Lebanese all claim it. It remains a festive dessert throughout the Middle East, the Balkans and the Caucasus.
What is the traditional baklava recipe?
Traditional baklava alternates thin sheets of filo pastry brushed with clarified butter and a filling of crushed walnuts, pistachios or almonds. After baking in the oven, it is drenched in a sugar or honey syrup, sometimes flavoured with cinnamon, lemon or orange blossom water. This raw version replaces the filo pastry with dried apple chips and the filling with a spiced walnut and date mixture, sweetened with honey.
How do you dehydrate apples in a dehydrator?
Cut the apples into very thin, even slices, ideally with a mandoline, keeping the skin on if they are organic. Lay them in a single layer on the trays, without overlapping, and leave to dry for 6 to 8 hours until nice and crisp. For this baklava, prepare them the day before: it is the longest step, and the chips must be completely dry to stay crunchy between the layers.
What does baklava taste like?
Baklava is very sweet and fragrant, with the crispness of the pastry sheets, the melting texture of a nut filling and the softness of the syrup that soaks through it all. Depending on the region, it is flavoured with cinnamon, cardamom, clove or orange blossom water. This raw version keeps those spices and the crunch, thanks to the apple chips, with a fruitier sweetness from the dates and honey.
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