Whether you've had baklava, or don't even know how to pronounce it- this is a simple and decadent dessert. Just whatever you do, plan on giving some away, because it is tasty enough to eat a few squares too many :)
- 1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
- 1 pound chopped nuts- I use walnuts
- 1 cup melted butter
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup honey
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.
- In a bowl mix the chopped walnuts and cinnamon. Unroll phyllo dough and cut in half to fit the pan. Cover the phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, brush thoroughly with melted butter. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep.
- Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
- Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Cool the glaze as much as you can before coating- it keeps the baklava crispier.
- Serve in cupcake or mini-loaf papers for more convenient eating.
- Use any mix of nuts you like including almonds, pecans, walnuts, or pistachios. I wouldn't recommend peanuts. Also dried chopped apricots or golden raisins make a delicious addition to the nut filling.
- If time permits, roast the nuts in a dry skillet a few minutes before layering the baklava. Keep a careful eye on them though- nuts burn quickly and you can't salvage a burnt nut.
- Store loosely or uncovered, storing it airtight causes it to get soggy.
Yields 3 dozen.
Adapted from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/baklava/
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