Cyser Baklava Recipes

GREEK BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.
• Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep.
• Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
• Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
• Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.

CYSER BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Syrup:.
• Use a heavy saucepan and dissolve the sugar in the cyser over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add lemon juice.
• When all the sugar has dissolved, reduce heat to a gentle boil. Do not stir often.
• Add honey once the syrup thickens. If you use a candy thermometer (I never have) it should register 230°F A drop of syrup on a cold plate will not spread.
• It takes about 20-25 minutes. Set aside to cool (but not to get cold).
• Baklava:.
• Preheat oven to 325 f.
• Finely chop the nuts. You want them as close to a meal as you can. I use the blender or food processor.
• Combine with sugar and spices. (Not the whole cloves).
• Place 6 phyllo sheets in a well buttered 13x9 inch baking pan. I think glass works best. Butter the top sheet generously.
• Sprinkle a thin layer of the nut mixture over the phyllo. You want it even and no dough showing, but not thicker than about 1/8 inch.
• Cover with 4 more phyllo sheets and generously butter the top sheet.
• Continue alternating nut mixture and phyllo until you run out of nuts. Top with 8 phyllo sheets and generously butter the top.
• If your sheets are too big for the pan, you may trim them or fold them over.
• Score into squares or diamonds. Place a whole clove in the center of each slice. Pieces are traditionally quite small as it is a very sweet dessert.
• Bake for 30 minutes, then lower the oven to 300 and bake for another 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Pour the warm syrup over the hot baklava. Let stand several hours, at least.
• Freezes well.