Baklava

Lately i have been craving for baklava. Dessert originated from the Middle East, with buttery phyllo pastry stacked with chopped nuts, sweetened with spices and honey is simply irresistible. Wait! i can make this at home what stopping me for doing so is the phyllo pastry. Working with phyllo dough is a tricky job which requires extra care to handle it as it very much fragile and tend to tear off easily. With some simple tips phyllo pastry is your best friend in whipping up scrumptious desserts for your loved ones.

My cravings for baklava has crossed its limits, when i'm rushing to hypermarket after work to get my phyllo pastry. I have to make it on the day itself no excuses. In instant my little kitchen perk up with the beautiful smell of phyllo pastry,chopped nuts, sweet smelling spices and what will the icing on the cake is my new found love...ORANGE BLOSSOM WATER. The moment i opened the lid of the bottle the smell of fresh orange blossoms perk me up heavenly.


Ingredients

1 package fozen phyllo pastry, thawed
1/2 cup melted butter (for brushing)


For Filling

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup coarsely chopped pistachios and
1/4 sugar
1 tsp cinnamon powder


For the Syrup

3/4 sugar
3/4 water
3/4 honey
2 tbsp orange blossoms water
2 cloves


Methods:

In a large bowl, mix together chopped walnuts,pistachios,sugar,cinnamon powder.

Clear the large space of your working kitchen counter and make sure the melted butter, the filling is nearby you. You have to work fast as the phyllo pastry tends to dry off quickly

Unwrap the phyllo sheets and carefully unroll onto the assembly surface. Keep the remaining dough covered with damp towel

Trim the sheets of phyllo to fit the bottom off a 9' inc baking pan. Brush the bottom and sides of the pan with melted butter, lay down a sheet of phyllo and brush with melted butter. Place another sheet of phyllo and brush with melted butter and repeat the step for 4 phyllo sheets. Spread the fillings on top of the phyllo evenly. Repeat the same steps till you done with all the phyllo sheets. Brush the top layer of phyllo with generous amount of melted butter and cut the phyllo stacks with a very sharp knife in a shape of diamonds.

position the rack in the middle of the oven and place the baking pan. Bake in 180' C or 350' F  for 45-50 mins till golden brown.

Meanwhile, prepare the sugar syrup by boiling sugar,honey,water and cloves over a medium heat for 10-15 mins. Remove from heat and add the orange blossoms water.

Pour the syrup over the warm baklava and let it soak completely for an hour. Garnish with nuts and dig in.

Notes:

• Phyllo pastry tend to dry up fast. Always damp a kitchen towel and lay it over the unused phyllo.

• Brush a generous amount of melted butter over a each layer of phyllo before baking to avoid it from breaking  while baking.

• Orange blossoms water can be purchased from any of middle eastern sundry shops. You can subtitute rose water with orange blossoms water