Chef Chuck's Baklava

Baklava

Baklava is a sweet dessert, originated in Turkey during the 8th century. It was a simple bread dough with nuts and served with honey. The Greeks changed it by using dough much like the way we make it today. Baklava has many layers of phyllo and each layer is brushed with butter topped with healthy walnuts and sweet honey. Using the best ingredients insures that you will achieve a perfect piece of desirable sweetness. Different nuts can be used but walnuts is what I prefer. Walnuts are high in omega 3 known to be good for your heart. This dessert actually cures and improves in flavor as days go by! Enjoy

Baklava
4 cups walnuts chopped fine
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
17 phyllo sheets cut in half
2 sticks butter melted and cooled
Syrup
1/2 cup water
1 cup honey

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl mix walnuts, sugar and cinnamon. When
working with phyllo use 1 sheet at a time and keep the other sheets wrapped in a damp kitchen towel. Arrange 1 phyllo in a 13x9 pan brush with butter and top with 5 more layers, butter each layer then sprinkle 1/2 cup walnuts over phyllo then top with 2 more sheets of phyllo buttering each layer. Repeat layering with 1/2 cup nuts and 2 phyllo sheets till all mixture is used. Top baklava with remaining sheets then using a sharp knife carefully cut in 1 or 2 inch squares or make diagonal cuts for triangles. Reduce oven to 325 degrees and bake 40 minutes to 1 hour till golden brown.
Make syrup while baklava is baking.
In a saucepan bring water, honey, sugar and lemon juice to a boil stirring often,
simmer for 5 minutes. Pour warm syrup over hot baklava and cool on a rack. Let baklava rest covered for 12 hours for flavors to develop. Then wrap and refrigerate.

8 comments:

  1. Although I have never tried my hand at Baklava, I sure do enjoy eating it. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

    P.S. I can smell the Italian Onion Soup from here. Oh so comfy...

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  2. Ciao Chef Chuck!
    Thanks for visiting my blog...but i almost wish you hadn't because now I have found YOUR BLOG and I can see I am going to have to try nearly all your recipes - they look DELICIOUS!!
    I admire men that can cook like this! My father is a brilliant cook (he's Polish).

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  3. Hello Monika, I feel the same about your blog! You bring me to where I want to be Italy!! I will be visiting soon again. I bet your father has some great recipes!
    Thanks So Much!

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  4. Hi louise, I see you have much better baking skills then this would need! Yes, this is a sweet treat to eat !
    Please try. Thank You

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  5. Chef chuck,
    I have never in my whole life seeing my dad look at a recipe book. He taught me to cook by tasting and making things up as I go :) So I can cook all the Polish dishes but I have never looked at a recipe. I love cooking all types of food though (ie Indian, Asian etc) and for that, i do need a recipe...so I'll be looking at your blog often. Another great food blog I love is: www.pioneerwomancooks.com
    ciao!

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  6. Monika, Your dad taught you the way my mom taught me! This is great you cook many dishes. I also enjoy many ethnic foods. I will check out pioneer woman's blog, Thanks

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  7. Oh, DELICIOUS. I've always wanted to make baklava because walnuts and honey are two of my favorite things to eat for dessert. Armed with the recipe, I might just get my courage up!

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  8. Hello Irene, I am sure you can put this together, it's very simple and delish! Thanks, Enjoy!!

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