Thread: Guillot's Jethro Baklava

When I make a normal Baklava I use 1 roll of Philo dough but the Jethro sized version I worked up is bigger pieces. If I'm eating Baklava and it's the little stuff I eat too much, where when the pieces are this large one is sufficient. I just won't try to eat two at one time. You really need a very deep 9x13 pan, I have one but didn't think to pull it out and use it so I had a little stuffing, dough, & syrup leftover.

Guillot's Baklava
Prep Time 1 hr
Cook Time 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients
Baklava Pastry & Filling


1/2 (16 oz) pkg. phyllo dough, thawed according to package instructions
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
1/2 lb (about 2 cups) walnuts, finely chopped
1/3 cup turbanado sugar
1/2 lb sliced almonds, chopped in processor
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves




Syrup

1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup honey
1/2 lemon squeezed juice





Making Syrup

Prepare the syrup first so it has plenty of time to cool completely before pouring over the baked phyllo dough. Combine the sugar, water, honey, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to boil for 4 minutes more without stirring. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Instructions

Thaw phyllo dough completely by placing it in the fridge overnight, then letting the package of phyllo sit, unopened, on the counter for 1 hour prior to making your baklava so it can come all the way to room temperature.



Butter the bottom and sides of a large rectangular 9x13-inch baking dish. Trim phyllo to fit in the dish, if necessary.



Keep dough covered in a damp cloth so it doesn't dry out.



Chop walnuts and almonds if needed in the food processor by pulsing 10-12 times until coarsely ground or chop with a knife until very finely chopped.
Stir together the walnuts, almonds, turbanado sugar, cinnamon, & ground cloves until combined.

Baklava Assembly



Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Sprinkle a handful of the chopped nut filling in a thin, even layer over the first 6 sheets of phyllo dough. Repeat but with 3 sheets of phyllo dough, drizzling butter on each dough layer, before adding the next layer of nut mixture.



Leave 6 layers dough for top layer. Pour the rest of butter on top then brush evenly over the entire top.



Carefully slice the baklava into 1 1/2-inch wide strips lengthwise, then slice diagonally to create diamond-shaped baklava.

Bake in the 325 degree F oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the baklava is golden brown.



Remove from oven and immediately drizzle all of the cooled syrup over the baklava.



Let the baklava cool completely at room temperature for 4-6 hours without being covered so the baked pastry can soak up all of the syrup. The finished baklava can be store for 1 to 2 weeks at room temperature, covered with just a clean tea towel.

JETHRO VERSION Double everything 3 sticks butter, 4 cups walnuts, 3 cups almonds, 6 layers dough each layer 1-1/3 rolls dough. Only 1-1/2 amount of syrup Not double, too wet.

Looks great Rojo, my mom used to make that when I was a kid. I didn't have much of a sweet tooth these days but Id definitely have to give that a try!