Baklava
Number of Servings: 16
Prep Time:
Cooking Time:
The classic Greek dessert.
ingredients
- 1Package —Phyllo dough
- 4Cups —Chopped walnuts or pecans
- 1Teaspoon —cinnamon
- 1 1/2Sticks —butter
- 2Cups —honey
- 1/2Cup —water
- 1/2Cup —sugar
- 3Teaspoons —vanilla extract
instructions
Remove the phyllo dough package from the freezer and place it in the fridge for 24 hours to thaw. Remove from fridge 1 hour before using.
When working with the phyllo dough, only remove the sheets you immediately need. Keep the other sheets covered in plastic wrap and topped with a damp cloth.
Toss together the chopped walnuts and cinnamon and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly butter a rectangular baking pan. Make sure the sheets of phyllo will generally fit the pan (if they’re a little bigger, that’s okay.) If they’re much bigger, trim them with a sharp knife.
Melt 1/2 cup of the butter in a saucepan, microwave, or stovetop. Use this butter on the phyllo dough as indicated below.
Butter the top sheet of phyllo dough with melted butter, then grab the unbuttered sheet below it. Set the two sheets in the pan, buttered sheet face down. Press lightly into the pan. Repeat this twice more so that you have six sheets of phyllo in the pan, three of which are buttered.
Sprinkle on enough walnuts to make a single layer. Butter two sheets of phyllo and place them on top of the walnuts. Add more walnuts, then two more buttered phyllo sheets. Repeat this a couple more times or until you’re out of walnuts. Top with four more buttered phyllo sheets, ending with a buttered top.
Cut a diagonal diamond pattern in the baklava using a very sharp knife (do not need to go all the way through).
Bake for 45 minutes or until the baklava is very golden brown.
While the baklava is baking, combine the remaining butter, honey, water, sugar, and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
When you remove the baklava from the oven, drizzle half the saucepan evenly all over the top. Allow it to sit and absorb for a minute, then drizzle on a little more until you think it’s thoroughly moistened. You’ll likely have some of the honey mixture left over.
Allow the baklava to cool, uncovered, for several hours. Once cool and sticky and divine, carefully remove them from the pan and serve with coffee (or give them as gifts!)
