Best Baklava You Will Ever Eat Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Mix sugar, water, lemon juice and cloves in a small sauce pan. Cook until it is boiling and becomes transparent. Then, remove it from heat and add vanilla and then set aside. Once it has cooled off, place in the fridge.
• Meanwhile, mix together pecans, raisins, coconut, and remaining 1/4c sugar and mix together. Set aside.
• Melt butter and using a pastry brush, spread a thin layer on the bottom and sides of a 13x9 baking pan.
• Take half of the phyllo dough and press down into pan. Pour 1/2 of melted butter on top and spread out with pastry brush, patting it lightly into the dough.
• Spread out filling over the butter and then cover with remaining phyllo dough. Pour and spread remaining butter on top.
• *Important* Make sure that you cut the dough before cooking, so that the butter will soak through all of the layers. Make 5 slices along the width (to make 6 rows) and 2 slices on the length (3 rows). Then slice them diagonally so you end up with 36 triangles.
• Cover with aluminum foil and cook for 10-12 mins covered. Remove cover and cook for an additional 15-20 mins (depends on if you are using a metal or glass pan, the lesser time is for metal). Once it is really golden, pull it out and pour refridgerated sauce over it. Pop it back into the oven for an extra 3-4mins so that it caramelizes. Let it cool to room temperature at which time you can serve it OR you can put it into the freezer covered with aluminium foil. If you freeze, take it out after 2 or more hours (overnight is fine), reslice and wrap in aluminium foil and refreeze. This will keep for months and be really yummy! Enjoy!

Steps:

• In a large size saucepan, combine 2 cups of sugar, the water, salt, honey, lemon juice, a cinnamon stick and 4 whole cloves, bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a gentle boil for 15 minutes. Then remove the cinnamon stick and the cloves from the water mixture. Set mixture aside and let cool completely.
• In a small size skillet, spray with a nonstick cooking spray. Place on medium heat and add finely chopped almonds, stir until lightly golden. Remove from heat and toss them with the chopped pistachios and add 1/2 teaspoon salt, toss again to coat evenly with the salt and set aside.
• Remove the phyllo dough from the freezer and let sit inside of its own wrappers for 30 minutes to thaw.
• Gently unroll the phyllo dough on a flat surface and keep it covered with waxed paper and a damp towel so it doesn't dry out and become brittle while working. Once thawed, remove 8 phyllo sheets, fold, cover and refrigerate them for the top layer, and cover remaining sheets that you will be working with and set aside, covered.
• In a small size skillet, melt 3 1/2 sticks of butter on low heat, keep warm while layering baklava.
• Using a pastry brush, brush a 15 1/2 by 11 1/2 by 3 inch baking dish (lasagna pan) with some of the melted butter. Lay 2 phyllo sheets on the bottom of the pan, brush with butter, and repeat, using a total of 8 sheets for the first layer. Then sprinkle a handful of the nut mixture over the top of the phyllo sheets. Layer 4 more phyllo sheets, brushing each layer with butter, and sprinkle again with a handful of the nut mixture. Continue until all the phyllo sheets and nuts are used, being sure to brush each sheet with butter as you layer. Use the reserved 8 sheets of phyllo for the last top layer.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Using a long, very sharp knife, cut the baklava into small squares, or for a more elegant look, diamond shapes. For the diamond shapes: First make 6 evenly spaced lengthwise cuts. Cut straight down until the tip of the knife touches the bottom of the pan, and keeping the knife straight, cut in a straight line all the way to the other end. Next, cut diagonally across the lengthwise cuts to form diamond shapes, starting in one corner and making cuts until you reach the opposite corner.
• Heat up the remaining butter until it slightly bubbles, then pour it evenly over the top of the pastry. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until evenly golden and flaky. Remove from the oven and spoon the cooled syrup evenly over the entire pastry. Cool in the pan, then serve pieces individually, placing them in decorative paper cups if desired.
• Makes: About 64 pieces.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.
• Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep.
• Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
• Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
• Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.