PASTRIES - BAKLAVA

The best part of making baklavas (besides eating the baklavas) is the orange flower water. The fragrance permeates the entire house as the baklava is baking in the oven. It is one of the most beautiful fragrances that I can think of.

A little note:
(1) Phyllo is the easiest to work with once it is at room temperature. If if it is frozen, thaw it out in the refrigerator overnight. A few hours before making the baklava, leave it at room temperature for a few hours so it is no longer cold.
(2) The sheets will stick together if it gets wet.
(3) Keep the butter warm in a thick saucepan. This way, you can spread the butter thinner.
(4) Use a 2-inch wide brush to pick up some speed because the phyllo sheets dry out quickly.SYRUP:
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons orange blossom water

Stir the sugar and water in a pot over medium heat until it comes to a boil and the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice. Return to the heat and bring it to a boil. Remove from heat again and stir in orange blossom water. Set aside to cool.

***The syrup must be at room temperature to be poured on the HOT baklava.

FILLING:
3 cups walnuts, coarsely ground
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons orange blossom water
1 pound (about 28 sheets – 17x12 inch) phyllo dough, thaw in the refrigerator and let come to room temperature
1 cup unsalted butter, melted on the stove, keep warm while working

Combine all the filling ingredients in a bowl.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Position the rack in the middle of the oven.
Generously butter a 12 x 17-inch jelly roll pan. Place a sheet of phyllo in the prepared pan and lightly brush with butter. Repeat with 13 more sheets or half of the phyllo from the package. Spread the filling on top evenly. To make sure the filling and top layer stick together, brush a sheet with butter and put the butter side down on the filling. Press the sheet gently over the filling so that the filling will stick to the phyllo on top. Brush the top of this sheet with butter. Continue with 13 more sheets, brushing each with butter. Use any torn sheets in the middle layer and the perfect sheet on top.

***DON’T brush the last sheet with butter until after cutting or it will be very slippery to cut. Make sure to brush all the layers.
Using a sharp knife, cut the phyllo. Make 1 1/2-inch-wide and 2-inch diagonal cuts across the strips to form diamond shapes. Make sure to cut through the very bottom layer.
After the cutting is done, brush the top layer generously with the rest of the butter.
Bake the baklava for about 30 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 450F and bake for another 3-5 minutes until desired golden color.
Remove from heat and immediately drizzle the cool syrup slowly along the cut lines let cool before serving. 

 

From One Pink Giraffe Road.