Post by Chrisnstar on Dec 22, 2006 14:42:13 GMT -5
Pastry - Makes a 15" oblong pan of baklava Heat oven to 350
1 pound phyllo pastry sheets
2 pounds whole, shelled almonds
1/2 cup sugar
cinnamon
1/2 pound butter
whole cloves
Grind almonds in a blender or other grinding device. You can toast the almonds lightly in the oven first, or use them untoasted. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and sprinkle ground cinnamon to taste in with the ground up almonds. Set aside
Melt butter over low heat
Unwrap 1 package of phyllo sheets. Cover with just dampened clean towel while you are working. Spread one layer of sheets down in your pan. Brush with butter. Repeat process for 4 or 5 layers of phyllo sheets. It takes 2 sheets per layer for my big baklava pan. 1 sheet for a 13x9"pan
Sprinkle the ground nut mixture over the top. Add another layer of phyllo sheets. Brush with butter. Sprinkle nut mixture. Then another layer of phyllo and brush with butter. Continue this until the nut mixture is all used up.
Finish with 4 or 5 layers of phyllo sheets brushed with butter.
NEXT
With a sharp knife, cut lengthwise into assembled, unbaked pastry. I make 4 strips. Then cut crosswise into diamond shapes, CUTTING ONLY HALF WAY this direction.
Place a whole clove in the center of each diamond as you would a toothpick to hold a sandwich.
Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown.
While baklava is baking, make the syrup
Syrup
cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons orange peel
juice from one orange
2 cups honey
water
cloves
Put honey and sugar in a large sauce pan. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water. Stir til well blended. Add orange peel, orange juice and a couple of cinnamon sticks and whole cloves. Simmer til hot and well blended. remove the cinnamon sticks and cloves.
When baklava is done, remove from oven and immediately ladle the hot syrup on the hot pastry, making sure to soak the pastry evenly. But not so much as to make it soggy.
Let cool and finish the crosswise cuts. Enjoy! Will keep for 2 weeks in fridge or quite a while in freezer.
1 pound phyllo pastry sheets
2 pounds whole, shelled almonds
1/2 cup sugar
cinnamon
1/2 pound butter
whole cloves
Grind almonds in a blender or other grinding device. You can toast the almonds lightly in the oven first, or use them untoasted. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and sprinkle ground cinnamon to taste in with the ground up almonds. Set aside
Melt butter over low heat
Unwrap 1 package of phyllo sheets. Cover with just dampened clean towel while you are working. Spread one layer of sheets down in your pan. Brush with butter. Repeat process for 4 or 5 layers of phyllo sheets. It takes 2 sheets per layer for my big baklava pan. 1 sheet for a 13x9"pan
Sprinkle the ground nut mixture over the top. Add another layer of phyllo sheets. Brush with butter. Sprinkle nut mixture. Then another layer of phyllo and brush with butter. Continue this until the nut mixture is all used up.
Finish with 4 or 5 layers of phyllo sheets brushed with butter.
NEXT
With a sharp knife, cut lengthwise into assembled, unbaked pastry. I make 4 strips. Then cut crosswise into diamond shapes, CUTTING ONLY HALF WAY this direction.
Place a whole clove in the center of each diamond as you would a toothpick to hold a sandwich.
Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown.
While baklava is baking, make the syrup
Syrup
cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons orange peel
juice from one orange
2 cups honey
water
cloves
Put honey and sugar in a large sauce pan. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water. Stir til well blended. Add orange peel, orange juice and a couple of cinnamon sticks and whole cloves. Simmer til hot and well blended. remove the cinnamon sticks and cloves.
When baklava is done, remove from oven and immediately ladle the hot syrup on the hot pastry, making sure to soak the pastry evenly. But not so much as to make it soggy.
Let cool and finish the crosswise cuts. Enjoy! Will keep for 2 weeks in fridge or quite a while in freezer.
