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BAKLAVA – Better Than Your Greek Mama’s

April 5, 2009
baklava, Greek, pastry

 

baklava, Greek, pastry

The title doesn’t lie…I have had Baklava from all sorts of Greek restaurants from Chicago, New York, Miami, to Greek Festivals and homes…none quite tops this recipe. One question you may have going into this though is what is phyllo dough and where do I find it? Phyllo dough is very thin rectangular sheets of dough and you can almost always find in the frozen food section next to the frozen desserts. Anywho…check this deliciousness out! 🙂 There was only one piece left of this after my niece’s baby shower! I snatched it and kept it for my co-worker Fran because she asked me to save it for her! She’s in for a treat when she sees I’ve also saved her a honkin’ piece of chocolate stout cake too! 🙂

Baklava

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup of sugar
1 lb shelled walnuts
2 tsp cinnamon
3 sticks of melted unsalted butter
1 package frozen phyllo dough

Topping

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup honey
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

PREPARE

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon in a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds or until the mix is finely chopped and then place in a medium mixing bowl.
3. Melt the three sticks of butter in the small bowl in the microwave for 1 minute and a half.
4. Using the pastry brush…brush the inside of the baking pan making sure to cover every corner with butter as well.
5. Open only one phyllo dough roll first since exposure to the air will dry it out quickly. If you’re baking in a kitchen with a lot of air blowing in place a slightly damp cloth over the phyllo, only lifting it to get a new sheet of dough.
6. Place the first sheet at the bottom and lightly butter it evenly.
7. Repeat this with seven more sheets also buttering the top one.
8. Evenly spread the sugar/walnut mix over this layer.
9. Place 8 more sheets of phyllo on top, making sure to butter each one as before.
10. Spread the sugar/walnut mix evenly again.
11. Make another phyllo layer with 8 sheets.
12. Add another even layer of sugar/walnut mix.
13. Make yet another phyllo layer with 8 sheets.
14. Make the last layer of sugar/walnut mix.
15. Make the last layer oh phyllo dough with the remaining 8 sheets.
16. Trim the perimeter edges of the raw baklava and discard or…place it all in a small bowl and bake it in a small conventional oven as a teaser! 🙂
17. Cut the entire baklava into diagonal lines until you get diamond shaped baklava pieces.
18. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
19. At 35 minutes mix all of the ingredients for the topping and heat in a medium microwaveable bowl for 1 minute and a half and stir thoroughly.
20. Take the baklava out but do not turn the oven off yet!
21. Pour the sauce mix evenly over the baklava…note it will make a hissing sound. LOL!
22. Place back into the oven and bake for 15 more minutes.
23. Remove from oven and let sit for at least 24 hours before serving since the baklava will completely absorb the sacue mix. Mmmmmm!

 

Baklava
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Prep Time
1 hr 10 min
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
2 hr 10 min
Prep Time
1 hr 10 min
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
2 hr 10 min
Ingredients
  1. 1/2 cup of sugar
  2. 1 lb shelled walnuts
  3. 2 tsp cinnamon
  4. 3 sticks of melted unsalted butter
  5. 1 package frozen phyllo dough
  6. Topping
  7. 1 cup sugar
  8. 1 cup water
  9. 1 tbsp lemon juice
  10. 1 cup honey
  11. 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Place walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon in a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds or until the mix is finely chopped and then place in a medium mixing bowl.
  3. Melt the three sticks of butter in the small bowl in the microwave for 1 minute and a half.
  4. Using the pastry brush...brush the inside of the baking pan making sure to cover every corner with butter as well.
  5. Open only one phyllo dough roll first since exposure to the air will dry it out quickly. If you're baking in a kitchen with a lot of air blowing in place a slightly damp cloth over the phyllo, only lifting it to get a new sheet of dough.
  6. Place the first sheet at the bottom and lightly butter it evenly.
  7. Repeat this with seven more sheets also buttering the top one.
  8. Evenly spread the sugar/walnut mix over this layer.
  9. Place 8 more sheets of phyllo on top, making sure to butter each one as before.
  10. Spread the sugar/walnut mix evenly again.
  11. Make another phyllo layer with 8 sheets.
  12. Add another even layer of sugar/walnut mix.
  13. Make yet another phyllo layer with 8 sheets.
  14. Make the last layer of sugar/walnut mix.
  15. Make the last layer oh phyllo dough with the remaining 8 sheets.
  16. Trim the perimeter edges of the raw baklava and discard or...place it all in a small bowl and bake it in a small conventional oven as a teaser! 🙂
  17. Cut the entire baklava into diagonal lines until you get diamond shaped baklava pieces.
  18. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
  19. At 35 minutes mix all of the ingredients for the topping and heat in a medium microwaveable bowl for 1 minute and a half and stir thoroughly.
  20. Take the baklava out but do not turn the oven off yet!
  21. Pour the sauce mix evenly over the baklava...note it will make a hissing sound. LOL!
  22. Place back into the oven and bake for 15 more minutes.
  23. Remove from oven and let sit for at least 24 hours before serving since the baklava will completely absorb the sacue mix. Mmmmmm!
Florida Girl Cooks https://floridagirlcooks.com/

baklava, Greek, pastry

author: Teresa Gonzalez

Teresa is a South Florida native who is a photographer that also has a passion for food. She's a seeker of sunshine, lazy days at the beach, and exquisite food.

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