Pistachio Chocolate Baklava

Prepare Ingredients and Preheat Oven: Gather all your ingredients. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). (Prep time: 15 minutes)

Prepare Pistachio Chocolate Mixture: In a food processor, pulse the pistachios until very finely chopped. Add the milk chocolate pieces and pulse a few more times until finely chopped. Reserve 1/4 cup of this mixture for topping. (5 minutes)

Combine Pistachio Cream and Tahini: In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini and pistachio cream until well combined. Set aside. (2 minutes)

Layer the Base: Brush the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking dish with melted butter. Lay down 2 sheets of phyllo dough and brush the surface with a thin layer of melted butter. Repeat with another sheet, brushing with butter. Continue this process until you have 8 sheets forming the bottom layer. (15 minutes)

Add First Filling Layer: Drizzle half of the pistachio cream mixture evenly over the phyllo pastry. Sprinkle half of the pistachio chocolate mixture on top. (5 minutes)

Add Middle Phyllo Layers: Top with 1 sheet of phyllo dough and brush lightly with melted butter. Repeat this process 3 more times, adding a buttered sheet of phyllo each time, for a total of 4 buttered sheets. (10 minutes)

Add Second Filling Layer: Drizzle the remaining pistachio cream mixture over the phyllo layers. Sprinkle the remaining pistachio chocolate mixture evenly on top. (5 minutes)

Top with Final Phyllo Layers: Top with 6 to 8 sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each sheet generously with melted butter. (15 minutes)

Cut the Baklava: Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamond or square shapes, cutting all the way to the bottom of the pan. You can cut 4 long rows and then make diagonal cuts. Drizzle any remaining melted butter over the top, if desired. (5 minutes)

Bake: Bake in the preheated oven until the baklava is golden brown and crisp, approximately 40 to 45 minutes.

Prepare Syrup While Baking: While the baklava is baking, combine water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved. Stir in the honey, reduce the heat slightly, and simmer until the syrup thickens, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat. (20 minutes)

Pour Syrup and Cool: Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately pour the sugar syrup evenly over it. Sprinkle with the reserved 1/4 cup of pistachio chocolate mixture. Let the baklava cool completely before serving, allowing at least 2 hours for the syrup to soak in. (2 hours)

Serve: Serve the baklava in cupcake liners for easy handling. This freezes well for future enjoyment. To maintain its crispness, avoid covering it too tightly when storing.