Baklava
CATEGORIES
INGREDIENTS
- Filling -Pastry & Syrup
- 1 pound (400- 500 gr.) walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 2 ounces (60 gr.) sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pound (500 gr.) phyllo pastry
- 6 ounces (180 gr.) unsalted butter, melted
- 8 ounces (230 gr.) sugar
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- some lemon peel
- 2 tablespoons honey
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Brush each layer of phyllo with melted butter and spread over the base of the container as evenly as possible.
- Once you have used 5 layers of pastry, sprinkle a thin layer of filling over the surface and add 4-5 more layers.
- Sprinkle a thin layer of filling and place 3 more sheets on top.
- Sprinkle on all the remaining filling, spreading it evenly, and cover with 7-8 more layers of phyllo, brushing individually with butter.
- Fold any excess pastry on either of the sides over the filling and brush it with butter.
- Brush the top layer liberally with butter in order to get it crisp and golden.
- Trim any excess pastry with a small sharp knife, keeping in mind that it will also shrink.
- Cut (only!!!) the top layers of phyllo carefully, diagonally into diamond shapes.
- Using the tips of four fingers, sprinkle drops of water all over surface and cook it in a preheated 350° F oven for 15 minutes.
- Lower to 325° F and cook for a further 15 minutes. Raise to 375°F and cook another 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare syrup. Place all syrup ingredients, apart from honey, in a saucepan and stir to dissolve sugar. Simmer for 6-8 minutes, add honey and simmer for a further 5 minutes until it thickens slightly. Pour hot, but not boiling syrup slowly all over the baklava (use a strainer) and let it stand to absorb all the syrup.