Baklava - An easy Mediteranean dessert to mark our 6 th Wedding Anniversary!!!

  Today we are celebrating our 6 th Wedding Anniversary.It appears to be yesterday,where we met and got married,6 years passed by with two gifted kids.I thank the Almighty for giving this wonderful Life.Baklava is one of my Hubby's fav dessert.Its very easy to prepare,if we have the fillo sheets handy.We can get these sheets in any Grocery store.The filling can be altered according to our taste.When baklava is served the next day it tastes great as it needs some time to the syrup to get into baklava.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

1.Fillo dough sheets - 1 pack (about 20 sheets)

2.Almonds - 1 cup (Powdered)

3.Pistachios - 1 cup (Powdered)

4.Dessicated coconut - 1 cup(Powdered)

5.Sugar - 1/4 cup

6.Cardamom pwdr - 1/4 tsp

7.Butter - 1 Stick (8 tbsp) + 1 tbsp (For greasing )

8.Saffron - for garnish

For the syrup:
1.Sugar - 11/4 cup
2.Water - 1 cup
3.Honey - 1/4 cup
4.Lemon zest - 1 tsp

 

 

Method:

Making syrup:

* Take a pan,add sugar,water,honey and lemon zest.Bring it to boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

* Cool completely.

 Arranging the Fillo sheets:

*Now take a mixing bowl,combine,pista ,almond and coconut powder ,sugar and cardamom pwdr.Mix it well and keep it aside.

* Thaw the fillo dough as per the instructions.

* Cover the fillo dough with a damp cloth.to prevent the phyllo sheets from drying.

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenhiet.

* Take a baking pan and grease with butter.

* Melt butter for brushing the fillo sheets.

* Now place a sheet of fillo sheet and brush with butter.Place another fillo sheet and brush it with butter.Now sprinkle  filling over the second sheet.Again place 2 phyllo sheets  and brush them with butter.Sprinkle the filling on top . Arrange the phyllo sheets like this ,topping the filling on every second sheet.Do this for the rest of the sheets.But don't forget to grease every sheet with butter.

* Make sure the last filled sheet is covered with a phyllo sheet.Cut the arranged sheets into squares as shown in the picture.

* Bake the baklava for 45 minutes to 1 hour or untill,baklava becomes golden brown.

* When baklava is taken out of the oven,pour the syrup on top of the baklava.

* Once it is cooled,slice the baklava and serve.

* We can store ,baklavas in a airtight container for a week at room temperature.

 

Note:

* Don't pour hot syrup on top of hot baklava.If not the sheets will become mushy.Either one should be hot.If the baklava is cool,then pour hot syrup on top of it.

* We can alter the filling according to our taste.

* While working with the fillo ,always cover it with damp cloth to prevent it from drying.