Mini Baklava Recipes

MINI PISTACHIO BAKLAVAS

Steps:

• Lay the phyllo tart shells out on a serving platter.
• Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the pistachios and toast in the butter, stirring, until they have a nutty aroma, about 2 minutes. Add the honey, sugar, cinnamon and salt and cook, stirring, until thick and bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Use two small spoons to scoop the pistachio filling into the shells. Cool to room temperature before serving.

MINI BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in sugar and cinnamon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; add pecans and walnuts, tossing to coat. Simmer, uncovered, until nuts are lightly toasted, 5-10 minutes., Place phyllo shells on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Spoon nut mixture and butter sauce evenly into shells. Bake until golden brown, 9-11 minutes. Cool completely on pan on a wire rack. Drizzle a drop of honey into each shell; let stand, covered, until serving. Serve with additional honey if desired.

BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Combine granulated sugar and water in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in lemon juice. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to a scant 1 3/4 cups, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon orange blossom water. Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Combine 1/3 cup of the syrup, superfine sugar and the remaining 2 teaspoons orange blossom water in a large bowl. Stir in walnuts.
• Unroll phyllo. (Keep the phyllo stack covered with a damp kitchen towel while you work.) Lay 1 sheet in the prepared pan and brush generously with butter (or ghee), making sure to cover all the dough. Repeat until there are 14 layers. (If using 9-by-14 inch sheets, use 2 sheets, slightly overlapping, for each layer.)
• Spoon the walnut filling evenly over the phyllo. Press the mixture all over with the back of a spoon. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo on top and press it firmly with your palms. Brush generously with butter (or ghee). Repeat layering, pressing and buttering with the remaining 3 (or 6) phyllo sheets.
• Using a sharp knife, trim any shaggy phyllo edges so they are flush with the sides of the pan. Using the knife and a ruler, score the phyllo at opposite long ends, marking six 2-inch strips. Cut along score lines, using the ruler as a guide. Then score on a diagonal, marking twelve 1 1/2-inch-wide strips to create diamonds. Using the ruler as a guide, cut along the score lines.
• Bake the baklava, rotating the pan twice, until the phyllo is deep golden and crisp, including down into the cuts, 35 to 45 minutes. Immediately spoon the reserved syrup over the hot baklava. (If the baklava has cooled or the syrup is hot, it will be soggy.)
• Sprinkle the center of each diamond with pistachios. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. Re-cut, if needed, before serving.

BAKLAVA CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Arrange the pistachios, walnuts, and almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Let nuts cool slightly and add to a food processor along with the lemon zest, 3 tablespoons of sugar, butter, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla and pulse to combine.
• Place mini fillo shells in wells of 2 mini cupcake pans. Add 1 teaspoon of the nut mixture into each shell. Bake until filling is hot, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat add the water, 1/4 cup sugar and honey and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until reduced and slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour 1 teaspoon syrup into each cup and allow it to soak in, then repeat with another teaspoon. Refrigerate at least 5 hours, or overnight.

EASY BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Toss together cinnamon and nuts. Unroll phyllo and cut whole stack in half to fit the dish. Cover phyllo with a damp cloth while assembling the baklava, to keep it from drying out.
• Place two sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the prepared dish. Brush generously with butter. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the nut mixture on top. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used, ending with about 6 sheets of phyllo. Using a sharp knife, cut baklava (all the way through to the bottom of the dish) into four long rows, then (nine times) diagonally to make 36 diamond shapes.
• Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and crisp, about 50 minutes.
• While baklava is baking, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir in honey, vanilla and lemon or orange zest; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
• Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately spoon the syrup over it. Let cool completely before serving. Store uncovered.

BAKLAVA MINI BITES

Steps:

• Melt 1/2 cup butter in 1-quart saucepan.
• Stir in 1/2 cup honey, lemon juice and cinnamon.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened (18 to 20 minutes).
• Remove from heat.
• Combine thickened honey mixture, walnuts and raisins in small bowl; mix well.
• Cool to room temperature (1 hour).
• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Cut phyllo sheets in half crosswise (14x9-inch rectangle).
• Place 1 1/2 cups filling on end of each phyllo rectangle.
• Roll up, starting at long (14-inch) edge.
• Combine all glaze ingredients; brush over top of dough.
• Cut into 1-inch slices with sharp knife.
• Repeat with remaining phyllo dough.
• Place baklava slices onto ungreased baking sheet, cut-side down.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Let stand 1 to 2 minutes; remove from baking sheet.
• Serve warm or cool.

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.

BAKLAVA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and cloves; set aside. Brush a 15x10x1-in. baking pan with some of the butter. Unroll 1 package phyllo dough; cut stack into a 10-1/2x9-in. rectangle. Repeat with remaining phyllo. Discard scraps., Line bottom of prepared pan with 2 sheets of phyllo dough (sheets will overlap slightly). Brush with butter. Repeat layers 14 times. (Keep dough covered with a damp towel until ready to use to prevent it from drying out.) , Spread with 2 cups walnut mixture. Top with 5 layers of phyllo dough, brushing with butter between each sheet. Spread with remaining walnut mixture. Top with 1 layer of phyllo dough; brush with butter. Repeat 14 times. Cut into 2-1/2-in. squares; cut each square in half diagonally. Brush remaining butter over top. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown., In a large saucepan, bring syrup ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and discard zest; cool to lukewarm. Pour syrup over warm baklava.