Carrot Halwa Pistachio Baklava

India's Favorite dessert

Carrot halwa is one of the most popular and delicious Indian desserts that's made with carrots! This classic indulgent dessert made with grated red carrots, is the perfect festive or holiday food that you can make! My mom would always make carrot halwa at home and I still feel her recipe is the best. I remember she would make a big batch for all of us, especially during Diwali time.

Carrot halwa is not just an Indian dessert, it's an emotion. You can find many other varieties of halwa made with different veggies and fruits. But carrot halwa is the king! Also known as Gajar (carrots in Hindi) ka Halwa, it's mostly served at Indian festivals, weddings, happy occasions, or holidays. In summer it's enjoyed cold and in winter, it's served warm. Some also like to serve it with some ice cream on the side.

I recently discovered that this decadent carrot pudding was first introduced during the Mughal period and in Arabic "halwa" means "sweet". That's why it seemed fit that I pair it with a popular Turkish dessert to create a unique and indulgent holiday dessert called Carrot Halwa Baklava!

A Turkish delight

Have you ever tried Baklava? It is a decadent, rich dessert made of layers of phyllo sheets filled with chopped nuts that are held together with sugar syrup. Also known as Pistachio Baklava, this dessert hails from Turkish/Arabic cuisine and has a cult fan following. There are many variations to the traditional baklava and my Carrot Halwa Baklava and Karanji Baklava Rolls are two of them.

Why make this

• An eggless Indian-Turkish dessert
• Ideal for entertaining large groups
• Easy to make
• Fusion dessert recipe
• Can be made ahead of time
• Delicious to taste
• Enjoy the flavors of two desserts in one
• A perfect treat for the holiday season

For the carrot halwa, you need the most basic ingredients.

Milk and milk powder - Use full-fat milk for this recipe. You can also use evaporated milk when making the halwa but not when making khoya. Milk powder or dry milk can be used.

Sweetener - I have used regular white sugar for this recipe. You can also use any other variety of sweeteners like jaggery powder, cane sugar, or even a sugar-free sweetener.

Ghee, nuts (almonds and pistachios), saffron, and cardamom powder are added to make this Indian dessert authentic. You will also need a microwave-safe bowl.

To make this Turkish dessert called baklava, you will need:

Phyllo sheet dough - I have used frozen phyllo sheet dough. You can also make it at home from scratch.

Mixed nuts - sliced almonds, chopped pistachios, and walnuts are what I have used in this eggless dessert recipe.

Sweeteners, spices, and flavors - white sugar, honey, vanilla extract, ground cloves, and ground cinnamon give this baklava its authentic flavor.

Milk and butter are two other basic ingredients that you will need. Besides these ingredients, you will also need a 10-inch baking dish.

The recipe is divided into four parts. First, we will make khoya (milk solids) that are needed in this gajar halwa recipe.

1. Add milk powder to a bowl and set aside.
2. Add milk to a pan along with ghee. Whisk it together and bring it to a boil over a medium flame.
3. Pour this hot milk over the milk powder and mix.
4. Keep mixing till the mixture becomes thick. It will become more crumbly as it cools. Chef Tip - Set this khoya aside. You can also use this in any other recipe that calls for khoya.

Now let's make carrot halwa. There are many ways to make it. Today I will be sharing the recipe to make gajar halwa in the microwave. The microwave version recipe is way easier and less time-consuming compared to the stovetop gajar halwa recipe.

1. Peel and grate the carrots and add them to a microwave-safe bowl along with ghee, milk, and cardamom powder. Microwave on HIGH for 15 minutes. Keep stirring every 5 minutes.
2. Add sugar and microwave on HIGH for another 3 minutes. Again, keep stirring at regular intervals.
3. Add the crumbled khoya to the bowl. Mix well and continue to microwave on HIGH for another 10 minutes.
4. The carrots should have softened by now and come together like a pudding. Garnish with saffron, chopped pistachios, and sliced almonds. Carrot halwa is ready. Allow it to cool down completely and then place it in the fridge until it's time to use it to make Baklava.

Thaw the phyllo sheet dough for 3 hours at room temperature before you start to make the baklava.

1. To a bowl, add chopped walnuts, sliced almonds, and chopped pistachios.
2. Add ground cloves and ground cinnamon to the bowl.
3. Mix it all together and keep it aside.
4. Grease a 10-inch oven-safe casserole with butter.
5. Place 2 phyllo sheets at the bottom of the prepared dish. Keep the remaining phyllo sheets covered with a damp kitchen towel and work fast.
6. Brush the 2 sheets generously with butter. 
7. Layer with carrot halwa. Spread it across evenly but do not press it down or overcrowd. Sprinkle part of the prepared nuts all over. Now place 2 more phyllo sheets over this layer and then add a layer of the halwa. Repeat this until all ingredients are used.
8. Use 6 sheets of phyllo for the final layer and brush them with butter and milk.
9. Using a knife, diagonally cut the carrot halwa stuffed baklava all the way through to the bottom of the dish. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 60 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

Finally, prepare the sugar syrup to pour over the baklava.

1. Take the baked pistachio baklava out of the oven and allow it to cool for a couple of minutes.
2. To a pan, add water and sugar. Bring to a boil over a medium flame. Once it thickens a bit, add vanilla extract, and honey. Mix well and take it off the flame.
3. Let this cool down a bit. Then pour it over the baklava that's freshly out of the oven.
4. Garnish with chopped pistachios and edible rose petals.

Top recipe tips  💭

If you want, you can serve the carrot halwa separately and make the pistachio baklava without the halwa stuffing, just layer the phyllo sheets and nuts alternately. You can add rose water and lemon juice to the sugar syrup after taking the pan off the flame. For garnish, you can also add sweetened coconut flakes, and saffron for more flavor.

The pistachio baklava should be cut before you bake it and recut again after baking to be sure all the pieces are separated. Use a sharp knife. You can easily make this Gajar ka halwa recipe using a stovetop or Instant Pot. Prepare this Turkish Baklava recipe using any other vegetable like beetroot, pumpkin, or even zucchini other than carrots.

Recipe FAQs 📖