Easy Baklava
A melt in your mouth dessert that will wow your guests is Baklava. I remember the day I first tasted Baklava. I was a teenager and it was love at first taste. Baklava is such an elegant dessert that makes such a beautiful presentation on your buffet. It takes a while to prepare the dessert, but your guests will love it.
Easy Baklava
1½ hours | 30 min prep
SERVES 36
1 lb mixed nuts, chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon zest, grated
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Butter a 9×13 inch dish.
3. Toss together cinnamon and nuts.
4. Unroll phyllo and cut whole stack in half to fit the dish.
5. Cover phyllo with a damp cloth while assembling the baklava, to keep it from drying out.
6. Place two sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the prepared dish.
7. Brush generously with butter.
8. Sprinkle 2 to 3 T of the nut mixture on top.
9. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used, ending with about 6 sheets of phyllo.
10. Using a sharp knife, cut baklava(all the way through to the bottom of the dish) into four long rows, then (nine times) diagonally to make 36 diamond shapes.
11. Bake in preheated oven 50 minutes, until golden and crisp.
12. While baklava is baking, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to boil.
13. Stir in honey, vanilla and lemon zest, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
14. Remove the baklava from the oven immediately and spoon the syrup over it.
15. Let cool completely before serving.
16. Store uncovered.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Betty Lynch, author of Back to the Table with My Country Kitchen, and owner of My Country Kitchen, Easy Answers to Bring Your Family Together. You may visit her website at http://www.mycountrykitchen.com