Pistachio Almond Lemon Rose Baklava Recipes

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups sugar, water, honey and lemon juice to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Cool., Preheat oven to 350°. Working in batches, combine pistachios and almonds in a food processor; cover and process until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg and remaining sugar; set aside. Brush a 15x10x1-in. baking pan with some of the butter. Unroll one package of phyllo dough; cut stack into a 10-1/2x9-in. rectangle. Repeat with remaining phyllo. Discard scraps., Line bottom of prepared pan with two sheets of phyllo dough (sheets will overlap slightly). Brush with butter. Repeat layers 9 times. (Keep dough covered with a damp towel until ready to use to prevent it from drying out.) Sprinkle with a third of the nut mixture. , Top with 10 layers of buttered phyllo dough and a third of the nut mixture; repeat layers. Top with remaining phyllo dough, buttering each layer. , Using a sharp knife, cut into 1-1/2-in. diamond shapes. Bake until golden brown, 40-45 minutes. Place pan on a wire rack. Slowly pour cooled sugar syrup over baklava. Cover and let stand overnight.

Steps:

• Make the syrup: Bring 2 cups water, the sugar and honey to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium low; simmer until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and rose water. Pour into a large liquid measuring cup or heatproof bowl and refrigerate until ready to use (or up to 1 day).
• Make the baklava: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 375 degrees F. Pulse the nuts, confectioners' sugar and cinnamon in a food processor until coarsely ground. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the vanilla and salt.
• Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with melted butter. Trim the phyllo to 9 by 13 inches with kitchen shears (fig. A); cover with a damp towel. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo in the prepared baking dish and brush with butter. Repeat with 5 more sheets of phyllo, buttering each sheet. Scatter about 3/4 cup of the nut mixture evenly over the phyllo stack. Top with 2 more sheets of phyllo, buttering each sheet, then top with another 3/4 cup of the nut mixture. Repeat to make 2 more layers (use 2 sheets of buttered phyllo and 3/4 cup nut mixture for each layer), then top with the remaining 6 sheets of phyllo, buttering each sheet (fig. B). Scatter the remaining nut mixture on top.
• Cut the baklava into 32 triangles (fig. C). Transfer to the oven and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 40 minutes (tent with foil if the nuts are browning too quickly).
• Remove from the oven and pour the prepared syrup evenly over the top. Let the syrup soak in, at least 2 hours.

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse the pistachios until coarsely ground (or you can chop them by hand until very finely chopped). Don't overprocess the nuts. You want to maintain some texture.
• Clarify the butter by melting it over low heat, then letting it cook until the foam rises to the top and the milk solids fall to the bottom of the pan. This will take about 5 to 15 minutes depending upon how high your heat is, but don't rush it or the butter could burn.
• Skim foam off the top of the melted butter. Line a fine-mesh sieve with a piece of cheesecloth, place it over a bowl and pour the melted butter through.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees and brush the inside of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with a little of the clarified butter.
• Prepare the phyllo dough by trimming the stack of it with scissors to fit the bottom of your baking dish. Packages of phyllo come in different sizes; some won't need any trimming, some may need an inch or two cut off a side, and some may need to be cut in half crosswise. Cover phyllo layers with a lightly damp kitchen towel, and keep covered.
• Place 1 piece of phyllo on the bottom of the baking pan; brush lightly with clarified butter. Layer phyllo sheets on top, brushing each sheet with butter as you go, until half the phyllo is used.
• Spread pistachios on phyllo in an even layer, then layer with remaining phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter as you go (rewarm butter if necessary).
• Cut the pastry into 36 pieces, using clean up-and-down strokes and rotating the pan if necessary. Make sure to cut all the way through to bottom of pan. Pour any remaining butter evenly over pan.
• Bake baklava until the top is golden brown, and the lower phyllo layers beneath the pistachios are thoroughly baked through. To test this, use a knife to lift up a corner of one of the pastry rectangles from the center of the pan so you can peek at the bottom layers. Start checking after 40 minutes, but it could take an hour or even 1 hour 10 minutes. If the top starts to get too brown before the pastry is cooked through, lay a piece of foil over the top.
• Meanwhile, prepare sugar syrup: In a medium pot, combine sugar with 1 2/3 cups/400 milliliters water. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 10 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in lemon juice.
• When the baklava is baked through, reheat the syrup until it comes to a simmer. Remove pan from oven and place in the sink or on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips of syrup. Slowly pour hot sugar syrup over the pastry; it will bubble up and some may overflow. When the syrup stops bubbling, move pan to wire rack to cool completely. Serve at room temperature.

Steps:

• 1. To make the syrup: Stir the sugar, water, lemon juice, and if using, the corn syrup, cinnamon sticks, and/or cloves over low heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Stop stirring, increase the heat to medium, and cook until the mixture is slightly syrupy, about 5 minutes (it will register 225 degrees on a candy thermometer). Discard the cinnamon sticks and whole cloves. Let cool.
• 2. To make the filling: Combine all the filling ingredients.
• 3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12-by-9-inch or 13-by-9-inch baking pan or 15-by-10-inch jelly roll pan.
• 4. Place a sheet of phyllo in the prepared pan and lightly brush with butter. Repeat with 7 more sheets. Spread with half of the filling. Top with 8 more sheets, brushing each with butter. Use any torn sheets in the middle layer. Spread with the remaining nut mixture and end with a top layer of 8 sheets, continuing to brush each with butter. Trim any overhanging edges.
• 5. Using a sharp knife, cut 6 equal lengthwise strips (about 1 3/4 inches wide) through the top layer of pastry. Make 1 1/2-inch-wide diagonal cuts across the strips to form diamond shapes.
• 6. Just before baking, lightly sprinkle the top of the pastry with cold water. This inhibits the pastry from curling. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees and bake until golden brown, about 15 additional minutes.
• 7. Cut through the scored lines. Drizzle the cooled syrup slowly over the hot baklava and let cool for at least 4 hours. Cover and store at room temperature for up to 1 week. If the baklava dries out while being stored, drizzle with a little additional hot syrup.
• VARIATIONS
• Instead of brushing each layer of phyllo with butter, cut the unbaked baklava into diamonds all the way through, drizzle with 1 cup vegetable oil, and let stand for 10 minutes before baking.
• Persian Baklava:
• Using the almonds and cardamom in the filling: Omit the lemon juice and cinnamon from the syrup and add 1/4 cup rose water or 1 tablespoon orange blossom water after it has cooled.
• Paklava(Azerbaijani Baklava):
• For the filling, use 2 cups blanched almonds, 2 cups unsalted pistachios, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Crush 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads and let steep in 3 tablespoons of the melted butter for 15 minutes and use to brush the top sheet of phyllo.

Steps:

• Combine all syrup ingredients in medium saucepan.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Reduce heat to medium or medium-low; gently boil 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
• Cool.
• (Syrup will thicken as it cools.) Place half of the pistachios in food processor; process until finely chopped.
• Repeat with remaining pistachios.
• In medium bowl, combine all filling ingredients.
• Heat butter in microwave-safe measuring cup in microwave on high 40 to 60 seconds or until melted; skim and discard foam off top.
• Pour clear butter into small cup; discard remaining milky substance at bottom.
• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Butter 13x9-inch baking pan.
• Unroll phyllo onto cutting board; cut to 13x9 inches.
• Discard excess phyllo, or reserve for another use.
• Cover phyllo with large dry towel.
• Lay 1 phyllo sheet in bottom of pan; brush with butter.
• Repeat, using 12 phyllo sheets.
• Evenly sprinkle filling over phyllo.
• Top with remaining 12 phyllo sheets, brushing each layer with butter.
• Cut baklava crosswise into 1 1/2-inch strips, cutting all the way to bottom.
• Cut diagonally to create diamond shapes, or cut into squares.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until slightly puffed and light golden brown.
• Place on wire rack; immediately pour cooled syrup over baklava.
• Cool completely.
• TIP*Look for shelled pistachios that are not roasted and salted; they will have a brighter green color.

Steps:

• Thaw phyllo dough overnight in the fridge, then bring it up to room temperature by setting it on the counter for 1-2 hours.
• Trim phyllo dough to fit your baking dish so you have approximately 40 sheets. (I use a 9x13) Cover with a damp towel. Make sure you keep the dough covered as you work with each sheet to keep from drying out and become brittle.
• In a saucepan on medium-high heat, combine sugar, honey, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, ground cardamom or pod, orange strips and water. Bring to a boil stirring until sugar is dissolved, then reduce heat and let it simmer for 2-3 minute Remove from heat, let it steep for 10 minutes then strain into a measuring cup or bowl and let syrup cool while preparing baklava.
• Butter a 9x13 pan or any other pan you are using. I clarify my butter for this recipe which is just a personal preference. Melt your butter, let it sit for 5-10 minutes, skim the foam off the top and carefully pour off the clear liquid gold off the milk solids on the bottom. Easy peasy. .
• Chop your nuts either with a knife or by pulsing 10-15 times in a food processor until coarsley ground and put in a bowl. Add the cinnamon and cardamom and stir together. Reserve about 1/4 cup for decorating later.
• Time to start layering and buttering! Depending on your sheet count you need to calculate how many sheets per layer. The number of phyllo versus nut layers are up to you but it's important to have a decent base to hold your nut layers so take that into consideration when calculating.
• For 4 layers of nuts use 1 cup per layer, for 5 layers of nuts use 3/4 cups per layer. Your base should be at least have 8-10 sheets of phyllo. Here's my breakdown for 36-40 sheets of phyllo.
• 8-10 sheets for the base.
• Nuts.
• 4-5 Sheets.
• Nuts.
• 4-5 Sheets.
• Nuts.
• 4-5 Sheets.
• Nuts.
• 4-5 Sheets.
• Nuts.
• 8-10 Sheets.
• Each phyllo sheet needs to be brushed liberally (but not dripping) with butter in the pan before laying the next sheet on top . (Tip: I drizzle butter all over each sheet then brush. I find it makes it easier).
• Chill the baklava for 30-45 minutes as it will make cutting it much easier. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and have the lowest rack in the middle and the second one 2 rungs above that one.
• Cut your baklava into square or diamond shapes. Some people only score the top but I cut right through.
• Total baking time is 1 hour and 15 minutes. Place you pan on the lowest rack for the first 45 minutes, turning the pan half way through. Move it to the higher rack for the last 30 minutes or until golden brown all over.
• Have your cooling rack and syrup ready because you'll be pouring the syrup the second it comes out of the oven. The cooling rack is important as the air circulation underneath as it cools prevents the bottom from getting soggy.
• Take your baklava out of the oven and immediately drizzle or spoon all the syrup all over the top. You'll hear it sizzle but this is a good thing. Put a little mound of the reserved nuts on each diamond.
• Let it sit for at least 8 hours or overnight so all the syrup soaks inches It can be kept on the counter with a tea towel over it or in an air tight container for about a week, but really.who has a pan of baklava last a week!

Steps:

• . For the sugar syrup: Combine syrup ingredients, except rosewater, in small saucepan and bring to full boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to ensure that sugar dissolves. Transfer to 2-cup measuring cup and set aside to cool while making and baking baklava; when syrup is cool, discard peppercorns and stir in rosewater. (Cooled syrup can be refrigerated in airtight container up to 4 days.).
• Nut filling: Pulse pistachios in food processor until very finely chopped, about fifteen 1-second pulses; transfer to bowl. Measure out 1 tablespoon nuts and set aside for garnish. Add ground cardamom, sugar, and salt; toss well to combine.
• To assemble and bake: Brush 13- by 9-inch traditional (not nonstick) baking pan with butter. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Unwrap and unfold phyllo on large cutting board; carefully smooth with hands to flatten. Using baking pan as guide, cut sheets crosswise with chef's knife, yielding two roughly evenly sized stacks of phyllo (one may be narrower than other). Cover with plastic wrap, then damp kitchen towel to prevent drying.
• Place one phyllo sheet (from wider stack) in bottom of baking pan and brush until completely coated with butter. Repeat with 7 more phyllo sheets (from wider stack), brushing each with butter.
• Evenly distribute about 1 cup nuts over phyllo. Cover nuts with phyllo sheet (from narrower stack) and dab with butter (phyllo will slip if butter is brushed on). Repeat with 5 more phyllo sheets (from narrower stack), staggering sheets slightly if necessary to cover nuts, and brushing each with butter. Repeat layering with additional 1 cup nuts, 6 sheets phyllo, and remaining 1 cup nuts. Finish with 8 to 10 sheets phyllo (from wider stack), using nicest and most intact sheets for uppermost layers and brushing each except final sheet with butter. Following illustration 6, use palms of hands to compress layers, working from center outward to press out any air pockets. Spoon 4 tablespoons butter on top layer and brush to cover all surfaces. Following illustration 7, use bread knife or other serrated knife with pointed tip in gentle sawing motion to cut baklava into diamonds, rotating pan as necessary to complete cuts. (Cut on bias into eighths on both diagonals.).
• Bake until golden and crisped, about 1 ½ hours, rotating baking pan halfway through baking. Immediately after removing baklava from oven, pour cooled syrup over cut lines until about 2 tablespoons remain (syrup will sizzle when it hits hot pan); drizzle remaining syrup over surface. Garnish center of each piece with pinch of reserved ground nuts. Cool to room temperature on wire rack, about 3 hours, then cover with foil and let stand at least 8 hours before serving. (Once cooled, baklava can be served, but flavor and texture improve if left to stand at least 8 hours. Baklava can be wrapped tightly in foil and kept at room temperature up to 10 days.).