Cookie-a-Day: Baklava

by Sarah J. Gim, Posted Dec 29th 2007 @ 10:38AM

We're a little behind on our a Cookie-a-Day, but we'll try to catch up before the end of the year. We have to! Starting on January 1, all of us will be forgoing cookies, candy, doughnuts, and cake, as per our New Year's Resolutions, right?

Right.

So until then, let's cut into a giant pan of baklava, which you might not consider a cookie -- rather a dessert pastry -- but hey, if we're calling brownies "cookies" because they're "bar cookies," we count baklava, too. Basically, baklava is layers of phyllo dough filled with chopped nuts, usually walnuts or pistachios. The layers are prepared in a large pan, drizzled with honey or other sweet, spiced syrup, then cut into bars or other shapes.

Yes, we know the baklava pictured above isn't as beautiful as the ones you'll see in Mediterranean or Middle Eastern restaurants, or out of the home kitchen of your favorite Greek aunt. However, it was a good attempt at working with phyllo dough, which is tricky because it's so thin and fragile.

Basic Baklava
Preheat oven to 350

Coarsely chop 1 lb of your favorite nuts. We used walnuts. Toss with 2 Tbsp sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. Set aside.

Place two phyllo sheets in bottom of greased pan. Brush the sheets with melted butter (you'll end up using a stick of butter), add two more sheets, brush with butter, and repeat until there are 8 layers of phyllo. Sprinkle with ½ of the chopped nut mixture. As with the bottom layer of phyllo, place two sheets of phyllo over the nuts, brush the sheets with butter, and repeat until there are 8 sheets of phyllo in the middle layer. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped nuts. Layer the final 8 sheets of phyllo and melted butter on top.

Cut carefully through the top layer of phyllo to create a "pattern," then go back and cut all the way through the layers to the bottom of the pan. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the phyllo becomes golden brown.

While the baklava is baking, bring 3 c sugar and 1½ c water to a gentle boil. Turn down heat to low, and continue to simmer until it is the consistency of syrup.

Remove the baklava from the oven. Pour warm syrup over still-hot baklava in the pan. Let cool.

More recipes for baklava:
AllRecipes has a 5-star recipe for baklava
Baklava at Epicurious.com
Chow makes a simple baklava with only two layers of phyllo
If you dare go Semi-Ho, Sandra Lee makes baklava with almonds

Filed Under: Ingredients, Holidays, How To, Methods
Tags: baking, baklava, candy, christmas, cookie a day, dessert, grains, nuts, phyllo, seeds, spices, sugar

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

2-10-2008 @2:32PM charlotte Cerne said... Good attempt. One pound of butter should be clarified first and one pound on phylo should be on the bottom and one pound on top. Use rose water in the syrup too. Each sheet of phylo should be buttered. You are off to a decent start though. It is eaten all over the middle east, Lebanon, Syria, although I do not know which country started it. Add 1 T of lemon juice to syrup when boiling and it will not crystallize. Make sure the cool syrup is not too watery, should be like honey or baklawa will get soggy.
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