Baklava
You can pay a premium for Baklava at the store. Or, you can make it yourself at home. It really is much more simple than believed! Make one tray for home, or several for entertaining and the holidays.
Traditionally, you want to use the darkest honey you can find. In our pantry, that is typically the strong molassy richness of Buckwheat Honey, or the somewhat raisiny Bamboo Honey. However, for a more Mediterranean taste, you could give the herbal freshness of Thyme Honey a try.
Ingredients
- 9 phyllo pastry sheets from a 1-pound package (look in the frozen section at the local grocery)
- 1 generous cup finely chopped walnuts (the finer, the better)
- 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
- 1 cup honey syrup (see below)
Directions
- Place an 8" round cake pan on a stack of sheets, and use as a template to make phyllo circles. You can get one entire circle, and one half-circle, from each stack of sheets. Use as much phyllo as possible.
- Butter cake pan, preheat oven to 350.
- Create six layers of phyllo, and brush each layer with butter.
- Create fifteen layers of phyllo-butter-1 TBSP walnuts on top of the above.
- Create six more layers of phyllo brushed with butter on top of the above.
- Score top approximately 1/2" deep, to form 16 triangles.
- Bake for 45 minutes, until it reaches a golden brown.
- Pour honey syrup on top of pastry, slice through the remaining layers of phyllo, and allow to cool several hours before serving.
Honey Syrup
Ingredients
- 2 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 cups water
- rind of one lemon
- 3 whole cloves
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 1 pound honey
- 5 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 1/2 tablespoons brandy
Directions
- Combine first five ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until it thickens slightly (approximately 10-15 minutes).
- Strain out rind and spices.
- Stir in honey, lemon juice, and brandy. Cool.
- Use for pastries.
Click here for more Honey Recipes.
