Baklava

As is customary for Michael, he chose a dessert that I've never made before... this week, it was Baklava!  I am happy to report that Michael claims my Baklava was just as good - if not better - than any he's had.  Wow!  ...beginner's luck, I think.

To my surprise, it wasn't TOO difficult to make, but there are definitely some tricks to the trade.  One of which is to remove it from the pan into cupcake wrappers to prevent it from getting soggy.  More tips are explained in the recipe below.

Baklava
 (makes about 18 pieces)

3/4 cup water
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
3/8 cup honey

Boil sugar and water until sugar is dissolved.  Turn heat to LOW and add vanilla and honey.  Simmer for about 20 minutes, being careful not to let it boil over.  Set aside to cool while preparing the rest.


1/2 pound finely chopped nuts (I used walnuts and pecans)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 cup sugar

Toss nuts together with cinnamon and sugar.  Set aside.

8 oz roll phyllo dough, thawed
1 stick butter, melted

(TRICK:  Buy a bottle of any margarine spray and dump out the contents.  Rinse the spray bottle and use it for the melted butter.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish with butter.  Only when you have everything ready, unroll the phyllo dough (you don't want to be interrupted at this point, or the dough can dry out.  If you do need to pause, cover the dough with plastic wrap and a damp towel).  Gently place one sheet of dough on the bottom of the dish, folding it over to fit.  Place another sheet on top of that, again folding it over (I alternated where the fold went each time).  Spray with the melted butter, then arrange 2 more sheets.  Continue in this manner until you've used a total of 8 sheets.  After spraying, sprinkle 2-3 Tbsp of the nut mixture on top, then place 2 more sheets of dough, and spray again.  Continue layering the nuts, 2 sheets of dough, and butter until you only have 8 sheets of dough left, then go back to layering 2 sheets with butter in between.  After you place the top sheet, DON'T spray it yet, otherwise it's too slippery to cut easily.  Using a sharp knife, cut the stack into squares or triangles being careful to not cut all the way through (if you cut all the way through, your sauce will pool at the bottom instead of seeping into each layer).  Once it is cut, spray the top and bake for approximately 50 minutes or until the baklava is golden and crisp.  When finished, remove from the oven and immediately pour the cooled sauce over the top.   In a few minutes, use your sharp knife to finish cutting all the way through and remove the pieces to cupcake wrappers so they won't get soggy.  Let cool before serving.  Store uncovered to prevent sogginess.