Gretchen's Baklava Recipe

You should make baklava at least 24 hours ahead of time -- a week is best. The longer you let the Baklava sit, the better it gets. After I have everything gathered and the nut mixture done, I can assemble the baklava in about 45 minutes -- the time before you need to start working on the syrup for the batch in the oven. Each pan makes 35 - 45 nice pieces depending on how close your cuts are. Use those darn corner and funky shaped edge pieces to test how it's doing or as your private reward!

Remember that the frozen phyllo (pronounced FEE-low) dough needs to thaw in the refridgerator for around 6 hours. If you thaw it at room temperature, the individual sheets of phyllo dough will stick together. Once you open the phyllo dough you will want to keep working. I just recently bought phyllo dough that came in two packages. In other words they were half sheets, which I think I like better. I have found that you can melt all of the butter and keep it in a crock pot on low so you don't have to melt butter as you go.

Want more details? Check out my Baklava FAQ page. Want to try another phyllo dough recipe, try my Spanikopita recipe (Spinach Pie)!

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
2. Combine and set aside walnuts, 1/2 cup sugar, and cinnamon
3. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the bottom and sides of a 10x14" (about 1-2" deep) pan with melted butter.
4. Open the phyllo dough and layer 6 whole leafs (or 12 half leafs) in the pan, buttering each layer as you go. (The edges will extend over the side.)
5. Spread 1 cup of the walnut mixture.
6. If your phyllo dough comes in full sheets, cut the remaining phyllo dough in half.
7. Layer 8 half sheets -- butter each layer. Each sheet will be an inch or so short, so stagger the sheets from corner to corner to cover the whole pan. I use a pattern so I don't forget how many layers I've put down, but it's even easier if you have a friend help!
8. Spread 1 cup of the walnut mixture.
9. Repeat 8 sheets and walnut mixture twice. You will end up with 4 layers of nuts.
10. Layer the remaining half sheets on top -- butter each layer.
11. Brush the top with the remaining butter.
12. Trim the edges off.
13. Cut halfway through the layers using the (new and improved right-hand or left-handers) diagram to the right. See my baklava FAQ page for more tips on cutting. (Note: Do NOT cut from corner to corner.) This is done now since it will be very fragile after it's been baked.
    
    
14. Bake 1 hour or until golden brown.
15. 15 minutes before the baklava should be done, mix 1 cup sugar, water, and lemon juice in a sauce pan.
16. Cook sauce over a medium heat, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.
17. Remove from heat, add the honey and vanilla, and stir until well blended.
18. Remove the baklava from the oven and finish cutting through the layers.
19. Pour the sauce over the hot baklava.
20. Cool. Let it sit for at least 24 hours (lightly covered -- but not in the refrigerator) -- longer if you can stand it!

A nice way to serve individual pieces is to put each one into a muffin cup that has been partially flattened.

I've gotten a lot of e-mail from folks all over telling me how delightfully surprised they were with how easy and good this recipe is. I've also gotten mail from school kids who've made the baklava for culture awareness events. One person made a pan for a fundraising auction and earned $150 for their Baklava!!! I hope you enjoy it as much!!! Gretchen