Greek Baklava - 9x12 Pan

Submitted by SME_Cook

"This is a fantastic baklava recipe I created from the best of several other recipes. It makes a 9x12 pan...or you can break it into two smaller pans."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 30mins
• Ingredients: 15
• Serves: 24

ingredients

• Syrup

• 1 cup honey
• 1⁄4 cup water
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 lemon, juice and zest of (zest in strip to remove later)
• 1 orange, zest of (in strip to remove later)

• Nut filling

• 2 cups walnuts, finely ground
• 1 cup almonds, finely ground
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 4 tablespoons melted butter

• Phyllo layers

• 1⁄2 lb phyllo dough
• 1⁄4 lb unsalted butter, melted

directions

1. In a small saucepan, combine syrup ingredients.
2. Bring to a slow boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes, until slightly thickened.
4. Remove rinds and allow to come to room temperature before using.
5. Combine nut filling ingredients together in a bowl.
6. Brush bottom and sides of a 9x12 inch pan generously with melted butter. (I like to line the pan with parchment paper for easier removal.).
7. Place 8 phyllo sheets on bottom of pan, brushing each sheet with butter.
8. Take an additional 4 sheets of phyllo and place in pan allowing sheets to drape over each of the 4 sides of the pan.
9. Brush these with melted butter.
10. Pour 1/2 the nut mixture into pan and spread evenly.
11. Fold over the overlapping phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter, to envelope the nut mixture.
12. Place 4 phyllo sheets over first nut layer, brushing each sheet with butter.
13. Take an additional 4 sheets of phyllo and place in pan allowing sheets to drape over each of the 4 sides of the pan.
14. Brush these with melted butter.
15. Pour remaining nut mixture into pan and spread evenly.
16. Fold over the overlapping phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter, to envelope the nut mixture.
17. Top pastry with 8 (or more) phyllo sheets, brushing each sheet with butter.
18. Tuck in the buttered phyllo neatly around.
19. Score through top layers of pastry with a sharp knife making 3 strips lengthwise then cut 8 strips widthwise and then diagonal to form diamond shaped pieces.
20. Pour remaining melted butter over pastry and lightly sprinkle some water on top too (wet your hand under the tap twice and shake this out over the pastry).
21. Bake pastry in a 325 degree oven for 30 - 40 minutes, until nicely golden brown.
22. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
23. Carefully spoon cool syrup over pastry.
24. Allow to stand overnight.
25. Cut through the scored pieces and serve.

Reviews

[Charlotte J]

How could this not be good? DD and I worked on making this together, it was our first time using phyllo dough. So since this was our first time at making baklava we learned a couple of things. Which has nothing to do with the recipe, just us first timers here. It had a little to much lemon flavor (note, sometimes more is not better) to it, so next time we'll use 1/2 lemon juice. DD was in charge of step 3, I feel it needed to be reduced more then the 1o minutes. We'll have to try to make this again. Thanks for posting we had great fun making this together. Can't wait for tomorrow so I can have another piece!