My husband and I have a long-standing tradition of making baklava together for Christmas day. Baklava is a traditional Greek dessert made with phyllo dough, walnuts and a special syrup. It is best made well in advance of serving so the ingredients have time to soak into the phyllo dough. Mmmm.

Baklava is a traditional Greek dessert made with phyllo dough, walnuts and a special syrup. It is best made well in advance of serving so the ingredients have time to soak into the phyllo dough. Mmmm

Ingredients before assembly.

BAKLAVA RECIPE

BAKLAVA INGREDIENTS FOR LAYERING

1 (16 oz) pkg phyllo dough (use both packages in the box)
1 cup melted butter (2 sticks)
1 pound chopped walnuts (finely chopped in a food processor)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

INGREDIENTS FOR BAKLAVA SAUCE

1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean
½ cup honey
some orange peel and lemon peel
juice of ½ a lemon
1 cinnamon stick
whole cloves 

DIRECTIONS FOR BAKLAVA SAUCE

In saucepan over medium heat, mix water and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and add vanilla, honey, citrus peels, lemon juice & cinnamon stick. Simmer gently for 20 minutes. Remove from heat to cool & remove citrus and cinnamon stick. 

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 300°F.
Chop nuts in food processor and toss with cinnamon. Set aside.

Butter the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. (one with square edges is better than rounded like the glass pan we used) Unroll phyllo dough, keep covered with a damp towel while working.

Butter the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan.(one with square edges is better than rounded like the glass pan we used.)
Unroll phyllo dough, keep covered with a damp towel while working.

Reserve 6-8 sheets of phyllo dough for the top layer. Cover & set aside.

Layer 8 sheets of phyllo dough on the bottom, buttering each sheet with melted butter.
Sprinkle approximately 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top.

Add two more sheets of phyllo, buttering each individually. **Press each sheet down firmly before buttering.** Add a layer of nuts as shown. Add two more sheets of dough, pressing, buttering & nutting. ☺

Add two more sheets of phyllo, buttering each individually.
**Press each sheet down firmly before buttering.**
Add a layer of nuts as shown.
Add two more sheets of dough, pressing, buttering & nutting. ☺
Repeat until nuts are gone, then place the remaining 6-8 layers on top, buttering each.
Using a very sharp knife, cut according to diagram below.
Poke one clove into center of each triangle.

Baklava-cutting-template
Baklava Cutting Template

Bake for approximately 1 hour to 1.5 hours or until golden brown, remove from oven & immediately pour cooled sauce over the hot baklava.

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My husband and I have a long-standing tradition of making baklava together for Christmas day. Baklava is a traditional Greek dessert made with phyllo dough, walnuts and a special syrup. It is best made well in advance of serving so the ingredients have time to soak into the phyllo dough. Mmmm.

Baklava is a traditional Greek dessert made with phyllo dough, walnuts and a special syrup. It is best made well in advance of serving so the ingredients have time to soak into the phyllo dough. Mmmm

Ingredients before assembly.

BAKLAVA RECIPE

BAKLAVA INGREDIENTS FOR LAYERING

1 (16 oz) pkg phyllo dough (use both packages in the box)
1 cup melted butter (2 sticks)
1 pound chopped walnuts (finely chopped in a food processor)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

INGREDIENTS FOR BAKLAVA SAUCE

1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean
½ cup honey
some orange peel and lemon peel
juice of ½ a lemon
1 cinnamon stick
whole cloves 

DIRECTIONS FOR BAKLAVA SAUCE

In saucepan over medium heat, mix water and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and add vanilla, honey, citrus peels, lemon juice & cinnamon stick. Simmer gently for 20 minutes. Remove from heat to cool & remove citrus and cinnamon stick. 

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 300°F.
Chop nuts in food processor and toss with cinnamon. Set aside.

Butter the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. (one with square edges is better than rounded like the glass pan we used) Unroll phyllo dough, keep covered with a damp towel while working.

Butter the bottom of a 9×13 inch pan.(one with square edges is better than rounded like the glass pan we used.)
Unroll phyllo dough, keep covered with a damp towel while working.

Reserve 6-8 sheets of phyllo dough for the top layer. Cover & set aside.

Layer 8 sheets of phyllo dough on the bottom, buttering each sheet with melted butter.
Sprinkle approximately 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top.

Add two more sheets of phyllo, buttering each individually. **Press each sheet down firmly before buttering.** Add a layer of nuts as shown. Add two more sheets of dough, pressing, buttering & nutting. ☺

Add two more sheets of phyllo, buttering each individually.
**Press each sheet down firmly before buttering.**
Add a layer of nuts as shown.
Add two more sheets of dough, pressing, buttering & nutting. ☺
Repeat until nuts are gone, then place the remaining 6-8 layers on top, buttering each.
Using a very sharp knife, cut according to diagram below.
Poke one clove into center of each triangle.

Baklava-cutting-template
Baklava Cutting Template

Bake for approximately 1 hour to 1.5 hours or until golden brown, remove from oven & immediately pour cooled sauce over the hot baklava.

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DC
DC
9 years ago

Would love to try the sweet pdz product….but even more so the baklava! yumm

jenny
jenny
9 years ago

baklava is so delicious, and i haven't had it in years… like 20!

Susan Fischer
Susan Fischer
9 years ago

Love this stuff! I'm afraid I'd eat the whole thing! LOL

JestelleD
JestelleD
9 years ago

I thought I would try this, and bought a bag of sweet PDZ at a local feed store. I got it home and when I opened it, it was a powder, not a granule like I see on your pics. Mwhat do I ask for to get the granules? I am using the powder in the coop, with the sand bottom, but would like the granules. I would love to win a bag!

Patti
Patti
9 years ago

I've been wanting to try this but can't find it locally. Would love to win it for my girls!

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