Baklava is a rich, flaky, sweet pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened and held together with syrup or honey. Baklava is a little tedious to make, but is worth making it. It can be made in a large tray and cut into any shape and size or can be rolled individually. You will find the pastry in the frozen section of the grocery store. It can be made in advance and left at room temperature for a week or in an airtight contain in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

Baklava is believed to have originated in Turkey and it is a popular sweet of the countries in the Middle East and Greece.

Ingredients

• 1                1 lb pkt Krinos Filo Pastry
• 1                 lb unsalted butter
• 1-1/2 lb       almonds
• 1-1/2           lb walmuts
• 2                 oz icing sugar
• 1/2              tsp cardamon seeds 
• 1/2              tsp cardamon powder
• 1/8              tsp nutmeg powder
• 1/8              tsp saffron

Syrup

• 2                  cups granulated sugar
• 1                  cup cold water
• 1/4               tsp cardamon seeds
•                     pinch nutmeg
• 1/4               tsp saffron
• 1                  tsp rose water
• 2                  oz honey
• 2                  tbsp lemon juice

Garnish

• 2                   oz almonds
• 2                   oz pistachio
• 1                   oz granulated sugar
• 1/4                tsp cardamon seeds

Instructions

1. Defrost the pastry overnight in the fridge.
2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
3. In a medium size bowl, mix the nuts, icing sugar, cardamon seeds, cardamon powder, nutmeg, and saffron.
4. Open the pastry on a flat surface.
5. Pour a 1/4 cup of melted butter on the pastry. Take a pastry brush and spread the butter.
6. Spread a cup of the nut mixture on the pastry.
7. Count 3 pastries and fold the pastry 2” and then roll the pastry up. Brush it with butter on the second roll. (you will get 6 rolls from 1 box of pastry.
8. Transfer the roll on a baking try, 3 rolls to a tray.
9. Cut the rolls diagonally with a sharp steak knife.
10. Make the rolls in a preheated 325 degree oven for 41 minutes, turning the trays after 20 minutes.
11. Let the rolls cool completely.
12. Meanwhile make the syrup. Mix everything in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil, boil for about 5 minutes. The syrup will be sticky. Let it cool.
13. Mix the nuts, sugar and cardamon for Garnish.
14. With a spoon, pour the syrup on the baklava and sprinkle with nuts.

 

 

Note: For best results, let baklava sit for 4-6 hours or overnight at room temperature for the syrup to penetrate and soften the layers.