Baklawa

baklava with a twist :) a healthier version!

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 20-25
• Yields: 30 pieces

Ingredients

• 15  sheets phyllo pastry
• 2  cups shortening
• 2  tablespoons water
• 3  cups water
• 1  cup honey or 1  cup corn syrup
• 2  cups sugar
•  pecans, walnuts or  pistachios
• 2  teaspoons cinnamon
• 3  tablespoons sugar or 3  tablespoons sugar substitute
• 2  cups unsweetened coconut (optional)
• 1  cup  of extra nuts and coconut (to garnish)
• 1  stick cinnamon
• 1  tablespoon butter

Directions

1. Open your phyllo and lay it out on a tray with a damp towel ontop to prevent it from drying!
2. Melt your shortening with 2 tbsp of water you can substitute it with butter.
3. Brush a cookie sheet with some of the butter water mixture.
4. Add one sheet of phyllo and brush some of the mixture ontop repeat with 5-7 sheets.
5. Finely chop nuts,coconut,2tbps of cinnamon and 3tbsp of sugar(if preferred with a food processor!
6. Add nut mixture onto the phyllo pastry.
7. Add the remaining phyllo/butter on top of the nuts brush the top with some more butter.
8. Cut it into the sizes and shapes you want and bake for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown at 400 F or 220°C.
9. On a nonstick pan add water sugar corn syrup or honey and 1 large cinnamon stick boil until it becomes a thick sauce like consistency and stir in a tbsp of butter stir until butter has melted.
10. Let both the sauce and baklava cool for about 30 minutes pour over sauce and enjoy!