Homemade Greek Baklavas

We will continue with another Greek recipe, in this case one of its most famous desserts in which we will use phyllo dough. Taking advantage of the fact that I had an open package in the fridge, what I had left to do was the apple strudel . We will make a famous Greek recipe, one of its quintessential desserts, well known but a little complicated. Of course, with this dessert you will surely receive all kinds of compliments.

The baklava, baklawa or baclava , is a cake made with a paste of crushed walnuts, distributed in the phyllo dough and dipped in syrup or honey syrup, there are varieties that incorporate pistachios, cashews, almonds, pine nuts or any dried fruit that you happen. In quite dense, so with a small piece it is enough to be satisfied. Excellent with a good coffee like those prepared in Greece or Turkey, black and very strong. These cupcakes keep very well for six or seven days in the fridge, with which it is best to do a lot and so you have for the whole week. I hope you like them and cheer up with them.

Preparation of the baklavas

1. In a grinder we chop the almonds and walnuts. The size should be similar or smaller than a peppercorn. We put all the nuts in a large bowl and add 3 tablespoons of sugar and ground cinnamon. We stir everything very well so that the flavors mix. This will be the baklava filling, it is impossible that these cupcakes are not good.
2. Melt the butter in a bain-marie or in the micro until it is liquid and prepare the phyllo dough on a comfortable surface to work. We will need at least 12 sheets of phyllo dough.
3. We grease a container helped with a silicone brush, in my case I have chosen a typical source of making 30 x 40 cm biscuits. Once greased we begin to place the pasta sheets, smearing them with butter one by one. We put 2 leaves together as a base and fill with a layer of dried fruit. We continue placing layers of phyllo dough, layers of filling until we only have 2 sheets left that will be the cover of the cake. The last layer we also brush with butter. Press well to make it compact and then cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. We remove the source and carefully cut the cake with a long, well-sharpened knife in the shape of diamonds or squares, depending on the source you use.
5. We preheat the oven to 190º for 5 minutes and put the source in the oven in the middle tray, with heat up and down for 30 minutes.
6. We prepare the syrup while the baklava is being made. Heat a glass of water in a saucepan together with the orange blossom water and when it boils add a tablespoon of lemon juice, cinnamon, lemon peel, cloves and 5 tablespoons of sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon for 15 minutes and when ready let cool. Strain and reserve for later.
7. We take the baklavas out of the oven and dip them in the syrup. Chop the pistachios and sprinkle them on top. Let cool for 2 hours before serving. It is in itself a very nutritious dessert, so a little coffee or a good mint tea as an accompaniment are perfect for you.

Edged dough, tips for use and baking

• The phyllo dough is of oriental origin, it is basic in Greek and Turkish cuisine, being the basis of this delicious dessert that I present today and its evolution, the strudel, which in the blog I present in 2 recipes, Apple Strudel, walnuts and pine nuts and the Apple and Carrot Strudel .
• I love filo pasta for how versatile it is in the kitchen. Its uses are multiple, either to prepare salty or sweet meals. The phyllo dough is a very laborious dough that in the end is worked in very thin dough sheets and the one that uses several layers for the preparation of the recipe.
• It is one of those doughs that are used in crispy recipes that are prepared in the oven. As with the puff pastry, the oven should never be cold when we put the dough, but when working it should be as cold as possible. We must avoid exposing it to the air while we are not working with it and when we have everything prepared as I mention in the recipe take it out of the fridge, the cold is great.
• It is prepared by painting each leaf with butter in a liquid state, if it is clarified much better.
• The phyllo dough when baked breaks very easily so that we must serve it immediately after baking.
• For its conservation it must be hermetically closed in the fridge, it lasts about 3 months. We could also freeze it although it tends to crack a little when defrosting and then it is more difficult to work.
• The ideal temperature for baking the phyllo dough is between 190 and 200ºC, no more and no less. At lower temperature you will not get a good result and at higher temperature you will burn.