Categories: Pastry Dessert
Ingredients
- syrup:
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 Tbsp. corn syrup
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
- Filling:
- 8 oz. slivered almonds, finely chopped
- 8 oz. raw pistachios, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
- Phyllo:
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 12 sheet frozen phyllo dough, thawed
Directions
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Place all syrup ingredients in medium saucepan, bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, simmer 15 minutes or until syrup is reduced to about 2 1/4 cups. Remove and discard cinnamon sticks. Cool completely. Meanwhile, combine all filling ingredients in large bowl.
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Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly brush 13 × 9-inch baking pan with some of the melted butter. Cut phyllo dough in half crosswise to create 24 (13 c 9 inch) sheets. Cover phyllo with large dry towel. Place 1 phyllo sheet in bottom of pan; lightly brush with butter. Repeat using 7 of the phyllo sheets. Spread with half of the filling. Layer with 8 of the phyllo sheets, lightly brushing each sheet with butter. Spread with remaining filling; layer with remaining 8 phyllo sheets; lightly brushing each with remaining butter.
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Trim any phyllo dough overhanging edges. Cut baklava crosswise into 1 1/2 inch strips, cutting all the way to bottom. Cut diagonally to create diamond shapes. Lightly spray top of phyllo with cold water (spray bottle works best) to keep phyllo from curling.
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Bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Continue baking 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly brown. Place on wire rack; immediately pour cooled syrup over hot baklava. Cool completely.
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makes about 3 dozen pieces
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Use a total of 1lb. almonds, pistachios, walnuts or any combination of finely chopped nuts.
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To make fresh bread crumbs, tear day-old white bread into pieces, place in food processor. Pulse 30 to 60 seconds or until coarse crumbs form. One bread slice yields about 3/4 cup crumbs.