Bake Baklava. Be Famous.
Lucky for us we get to have Sarah back to teach us how to make this GORGEOUS dessert! If you missed Sarah’s last post, you can get to know her here. Thanks Sarah, take it away!…
“I have a dirty little secret. I’m not really that great of a cook. Yet around my neighborhood my status as a culinary goddess is growing. So what’s the secret? How do I do it? I strategically place a carefully selected, carefully prepared food item with the right people and watch my fame increase. Baklava is just such a dish. It has the potential to make you famous. It seems so intimidating that your friends will say, “You MADE this?” Just wink, shrug, nod and be on your way and pretty soon word will spread.
Baklava is delicious, gorgeous, and exotic but with the difficulty level of sugar cookies despite its daunting reputation. So why not give it a try? Your culinary reputation will thank me.
Just a few simple ingredients. Look for the Phyllo dough in the freezer section near the pie crusts. No orange extract? Just throw in an orange peel.
Put that food processor to good use.
Brush each sheet with butter. This is the part that scares everyone. Just a couple sheets and you’ll get the hang of it.
Bake, then score, and bake some more. And by score I mean just poke holes. If you try to cut at this point you’ll get layers slipping everywhere. Wait for the syrup to cut all the way through.
Time for the syrup. Pour it all over the baked goodness.
Make your final cuts and let all those wonderful juices sink in.
Baklava
Ingredients
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For the filling:
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* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
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* 2 teaspoons ground allspice
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* 4 cups mixed, unsalted nuts (I use 2 cups walnuts, 1 cup almonds, 1 cup pecans)
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* 2/3 cup sugar
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* 1 16 oz. package phyllo dough, thawed
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* 1/2 cup butter, melted (I use salted)
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For the syrup:
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* 1 1/4 cups honey
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* 1 1/4 cups water
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* 1 1/4 cups sugar
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* 1 cinnamon stick or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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* 1 teaspoon orange extract or a piece fresh orange peel
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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- Place the nuts, sugar and spices into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, but not pasty or powdery, approximately 15 quick pulses. Set aside.
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- Trim the sheets of phyllo to fit the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan. Brush the bottom and sides of the pan with butter; lay down a sheet of phyllo and brush with butter. Repeat this step 9 more times for a total of 10 sheets of phyllo. Top with 1/3 of the nut mixture and spread thinly. Layer 6 more sheets of phyllo with butter in between each of them, followed by another third of the nuts. Repeat with another 6 sheets of phyllo, butter and remaining nuts. Top with 8 sheets of phyllo brushing with butter in between each sheet. Brush the top generously with butter. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and score into 28 squares. Return pan to the oven and continue to bake for another 15 minutes. Remove pan from the oven, place on a cooling rack, and cool for 2 hours before adding the syrup.
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- Make the syrup during the last 30 minutes of cooling. Combine ingredients for the syrup in a large soup pot to prevent the syrup from over-boiling and set over high heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Once boiling, boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and discard the orange peel and cinnamon stick.
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- After the baklava has cooled for 2 hours pour the hot syrup evenly over the top of the baklava, allowing it to run into the cuts and around the edges of the pan. Make the final cuts following the same lines as before. Allow the pan to sit, uncovered until completely cool. Cover and store at room temperature for at least 8 hours and up to overnight before serving. Store, covered, at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze squares individually for up to 2 months.”
Baklava
Ingredients
- For the filling:
- * 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- * 2 teaspoons ground allspice
- * 4 cups mixed, unsalted nuts (I use 2 cups walnuts, 1 cup almonds, 1 cup pecans)
- * 2/3 cup sugar
- * 1 16 oz. package phyllo dough, thawed
- * 1/2 cup butter, melted (I use salted)
- For the syrup:
- * 1 1/4 cups honey
- * 1 1/4 cups water
- * 1 1/4 cups sugar
- * 1 cinnamon stick or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- * 1 teaspoon orange extract or a piece fresh orange peel
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the nuts, sugar and spices into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, but not pasty or powdery, approximately 15 quick pulses. Set aside.
- Trim the sheets of phyllo to fit the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan. Brush the bottom and sides of the pan with butter; lay down a sheet of phyllo and brush with butter. Repeat this step 9 more times for a total of 10 sheets of phyllo. Top with 1/3 of the nut mixture and spread thinly. Layer 6 more sheets of phyllo with butter in between each of them, followed by another third of the nuts. Repeat with another 6 sheets of phyllo, butter and remaining nuts. Top with 8 sheets of phyllo brushing with butter in between each sheet. Brush the top generously with butter. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and score into 28 squares. Return pan to the oven and continue to bake for another 15 minutes. Remove pan from the oven, place on a cooling rack, and cool for 2 hours before adding the syrup.
- Make the syrup during the last 30 minutes of cooling. Combine ingredients for the syrup in a large soup pot to prevent the syrup from over-boiling and set over high heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Once boiling, boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and discard the orange peel and cinnamon stick.
- After the baklava has cooled for 2 hours pour the hot syrup evenly over the top of the baklava, allowing it to run into the cuts and around the edges of the pan. Make the final cuts following the same lines as before. Allow the pan to sit, uncovered until completely cool. Cover and store at room temperature for at least 8 hours and up to overnight before serving. Store, covered, at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze squares individually for up to 2 months.”
I am so going to try this! It looks so YUMMY! Thanks again for sharing! Can’t wait for more.
Diane {createdbydiane.blogspot.com} says
yum! I love Baklava, looks delicious. It’s been too long since I had a piece, I think I’m drooling on my keyboard.
Peggy says
Isn’t Baklava the greatest! I haven’t made it in, oh lets see that was two moves ago… so about 6 or 7 years. Yep time to kick things up a notch and make some up for the ladies Bible study Friday morning!!! Gotta work on my cooking reputation since we’ve only been here for a year, ha ha! And FREEZING it, WOW what a great idea!! With a tween and two teenagers I am always in need of something to take some where. For the past year its been my chocolate chip cookies… which get requested ALL the time by my 6th grader’s teacher.
Once again thanks for the reminder and all the great ideas! (hmm you wouldn’t have a great recipe for gyros would you? I am dying for some! and the only greek restaurant closed 2 weeks before we moved here….)
Okay I’m off to buy phyllo dough!
Alison says
Well that was a fun read! Great Post!
Stacia says
Yummmm! I love this stuff but still haven’t actually tried making it. Doesn’t actually look that difficult! 🙂
Christa says
YUM! looks fab! way to go, impressing your neighbors and all! 😉
Heather - Chickabug says
This looks SOOOO good! I love baklava but have never tried making it. Now I’m inspired to give it a shot!
Shelley says
My husband and I just had baklava on a date the other night. Now I MUST make my own. YUM!
Dina says
Wow, this looks sooooo good! I’ve always wanted to try to make it but it always seemed so hard. But, Sarah makes it look easy!
Joan Morris says
What a great post! I can’t wait to try making Baklava. I’m sure my greek husband will LOVE it.
Kay says
Man, that looks good. Who knew it wasn’t that hard?
Nichole says
I’m so excited about this treat! I gave up sweets for lent and now I know what I’ll be making on Easter!
stacy says
I haven’t ever tried Baklava, but now I just might have to make it! Thanks for the fun food post!
Allison @ Alli 'n Son says
These look so flaky and amazing!
I’m hosting a weekly link up, Sweet Tooth Friday, and I’d love to have you share your recipe. http://alli-n-son.com/2011/03/10/vanilla-donuts/
Nesleirbag says
Love the pics of the food – so enticing! Looks very gourmet, but doable. Great post!
Sarah says
This looks delicious and I have a sweet tooth! Will try this soon, but have already done too much baking this week- Amish Friendship bread, rice krispie treats(two batches) and Cranberry Scones!
Christina says
I invite you to link up any & all of your delightful creations to The Homespun Bake Shop @ The Tattered Tag. It’s a great new place for delicious inspiration.
Drop by The Tattered Tag
Trisha says
I love baklava … thanks for sharing, cant wait to pick up some phyllo pastry!!!
Bob says
Yummy! I want some Bake Baklava!
Selma says
In traditional baklava making, you cut the baklava before you bake it. It’s easier cut it while the dough is still soft and because it doesn’t crumble, you end up with clean lines and edges.
Ashlee says
That looks SO good. Baklava has always looked intimidating, but you make it look easy!
Trish Butler says
I love bakalava. Thank you for your recipe. Do you ever use rose water in your bakalava? I’ve had it and it is very good also. I would like to make them both. Thank you again for your great ecipe and time. Trish (Motheroverkill)
Bens says
Oh my dear, I don’t want to let you down, but this is not Baklava… Maybe a quiet distant relative of it. 🙂 The original baklava is one of the most difficult desserts to make. But that looks delicious, too.
Patricia says
After you assemble the dessert put it in the fridge to chill
, then cut it before you bake it. It will look much neater! And won’t be near as
difficult to cut!
Andrea says
Hi, I was so excited to make this for my husband for our anniversary cuz he loves Baklava. I did everything exactly as the instructions said, and it looks great, BUT…. the syrup hardened up so much that it is like the consistency of a sucker now. Can’t even cut into it, or get it out of my pan. I don’t know what I did wrong. Any ideas? (I feel like maybe the syrup boiled for too long, but I set the timer for 10 minutes exactly like it said to do.) If you have any ideas of what I possibly did wrong for the syrup to harden up like that, I would love to hear it. Cuz I would love to try it again!!
Glenda M says
I love Baklava and it is fun to make. A nice rich dessert that lasts a while. Thanks for the recipe. I have several but another one is good.
Elda K says
I❤️ Baklava! My mom actually makes this from scratch including the fillo dough and it’s delicious!
Rini Hoffman says
Just a little tip from a Greek girl ~ I was taught to cut through the unbaked top layers of the phyllo before the baklava goes into the oven. After it has cooled and the sauce has soaked in, cut through the entire thing. By cutting the top layer before baking, the phyllo has a nicer look and the sauce gets through right away.
sofia says
Nice job! I score my filo before i bake it . that way it is not as crumbly.