Description
The quintessential Greek dessert with layers of flaky filo dough, nuts and honey!
Ingredients
- FOR THE SYRUP:
- 1-½ cup Water
- 1-½ cup Sugar
- ½ cups Honey
- ½ cups Orange Juice
- FOR THE BAKLAVA:
- 1 pound Walnuts, Chopped
- ½ cups Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
- ¾ cups Butter, Melted
- 1 pound Filo Dough
Preparation
Note: Make the syrup first and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. It is important to pour cold syrup over hot baklava.
For the syrup:
In a medium-sized sauce pan, whisk water, sugar, honey and orange juice over medium high heat. Bring to a boil; turn heat to medium low and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool.
For the baklava:
Heat oven to 350ºF. Chop the nuts in a food processor; place in a medium bowl. Add sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
Butter a 9 x 13 baking pan. Add 8 to 10 sheets of filo, buttering each sheet. Sprinkle about 2/3 cup of the nut mixture over the buttered filo then cover with a sheet of filo. Butter the filo and add another 2/3 cup of the nut mixture. Alternate nuts and filo, buttering each sheet. Save 8 to 10 sheets of filo for the top. Butter remaining top sheets as you did the bottom ones.
Cut into diamonds with a sharp knife, starting at one corner of the pan and cutting diagonal rows 1 inch apart. Repeat from other side to make diamonds.
Bake at 350ºF for 1 hour or until golden brown. Remove from oven and evenly pour cold syrup over the hot baklava. Let stand for 1 to 2 hours. At this point, baklava can be cut into individual diamond-shaped pieces and served or refrigerated.
