By Meal
Classic Baklava
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Ingredients Yield: about 30 pieces Unsalted butter 900 gr. (2 pounds), clarified Walnuts, blanched almonds or mixture of both 1 ¼ kilos (2 ½ pounds), coarsely chopped Coarse plain bread crumbs 1 cup Cinnamon powder 1 tsp. Commercial phyllo 900 gr. (2 pounds) Whole cloves for garnish Syrup: Sugar 4 cups Water 1 liter (4 cups) Lemons, juiced 2 Tbsp. Preparation Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Lightly butter an 38 x 45 x 7,5 cm (15 x 18 x 3 inch) baking pan. In a large bowl, combine nuts, crumbs, and cinnamon. Add 60 – 80 ml (1/4 – 1/3 cup) clarified butter to the mixture – enough to moisten it. Layer six phyllo sheets on the bottom of prepared baking pan, one at a time, brushing each generously with clarifi ed butter mixture. Sprinkle about a third of the nut mixture over the sixth phyllo sheet and spread evenly. Drizzle 1 to 2 teaspoons more butter over the nuts. Layer 4 phyllo sheets over the nuts, one at a time, buttering each generously. Spread another third of the nut mixture on top and drizzle, as before, with a teaspoon or two of butter. Layer and butter another 4 phyllo sheets, top with remaining nut mixture and drizzle with clarifi ed butter. Top the pan with 5 to 6 sheets of phyllo, each brushed generously with butter. With the tips of your fi ngers, sprinkle the top phyllo with a little water and brush again. Score into diamond shapes, fi rst cutting gently with a sharp knife vertically, then horizontally, making sure the knife cuts all the way down through the very bottom phyllo. Press a whole clove into each piece of baklava, if desired, before baking to make the tray more decorative and to help hold down the top layer. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the phyllo begins to crisp and brown slightly. Reduce heat to 160°C (325°F) and bake for 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until baklava is golden brown. Five minutes before removing baking pan from the oven, brush baklava with one more ample dousing of butter. To prepare syrup: While baklava is baking, combine sugar and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes, to make a 32 grade syrup. Remove pot from heat and immediately stir in lemon juice. Remove baking pan from oven and pour hot syrup over the baklava. Place the baklava in the oven – which has been turned off but is still hot – and let stand until all the syrup is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Serve baklava warm or at room temperature and store at room temperature, sealed in a tin. |
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