Baklava for the weekend...

I would normally say "Happy Friday everyone" but with the tragic occurrence in Japan today, its hard to be happy.  My thoughts and prayers are with them and hoping no further damages or casualties occur. :(

I don't want to cut the blog short so I will continue with the journey of the day. We made Chiffon cake today in class. We will decorate them on Monday. The cakes were ultra spongy. I tasted the chef's impeccable production but wasn't THAT crazy about the texture or taste. Others in the class LOVED it. Again, its all about preferences.  :)  I like moist cakes myself.  The cakes looked amazing and I look forward to filling them inside, icing and decorating it come Monday. I am very excited because we make Devil's Food Cake Monday from scratch! Deeeelicious! I saw a few of these cakes from other classes being baked and they smelled to-die-for.  I think she said that we get to make two! I am happy about that because I have a lot of chocolate lovers in my family so I need to make sure I can cut that baby up and share!

Ok, so the blog is about Baklava and not cake. :) We took this out of the cooler today after the syrup was sucked up by all the Baklava. I did taste it and something about the syrup is off but I just cant put my finger on it. I am not sure if it is the cloves or the lemon. Somewhere along the way the measurements must have been off. :( The baklava should definitely have some lemon flavor in it, normally the zest of a lemon.. but like I said, I can not pin point it and Im sure its our error. But you create one and judge yourself !  A few of you have asked me for the recipe. I  have checked others online and they are pretty much the same.

To make the Pastry:

Phyllo dough - 1 box

Walnuts that are chopped - 1 lb

Sugar - 2 oz

Cinnamon - 1 tsp

Cloves- 1/2 tsp

Melted Butter - 1 cup

For the Syrup:

Sugar - 1 1/2 cups

Water - 1 cup

Honey - 1/2 Cup

Zest of a lemon

Cinnamon Stick - 1

Oven should be set at 350 degrees F

Ok Angela darling, here is a step by step for you :)

Unfold your phyllo dough and cover it with a damp cloth

Combine your chopped nuts, sugar, cinnamon and cloves in a bowl

Butter the bottom and the sides of the pan you will be using to start building your Baklava

Separate the first sheet of your phyllo dough, butter it with your brush. (don't over saturate) just dab

** if your dough is too big, you can either cut the over-extended pieces off or just fold them into a square in your pan and dab with butter**

Lay your 2nd sheet and dab with butter. Do this 4 more times so that you have a nice base of 6 sheets that are buttered (layered)

Add enough of your walnut mixture on top of your 6th sheet, enough for it to cover the surface

Add 3 sheets of individually buttered phyllo

Add the mixture again as you did above

Add 3 additional sheets of individually buttered phyllo

Add your last layer of walnut mixture

Add 5 sheets of phyllo to the top, leaving the top buttered

Cut away any extra dough that may be falling over the pan  

Place your hand in water and shake the drops onto the top of the Baklava ( this is done so the sheets don't fly up in the oven when baking)

Chill your Baklava for 5 minutes or so

Cut the Baklava into squares, and then cut diagonally in each square to make triangles

Bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for about an hour...

While that bakes commence making the Syrup that will be poured over the Baklava

Bring all the syrup ingredients to a boil and then let it simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Cool it down

When your pastry is brownish on top and done, pour the syrup over its entirety and let it stand overnight so it can soak up the syrup

I hope you enjoy making this Mediterranean beauty! It isn't difficult at all, you just need to have time to make it. This makes about 24 triangles or 12 squares.

PLEASE let me know if you make it and share your results of love or dislike.. I am intrigued!! AND if you have a favorite recipe that you would like to share, send it along! I will create it, taste it and blog about it!

Have a BEAUTIFUL weekend! 

I'll catch you back here on Monday...

Linda