Baklava

From inthekitchenwithkath.com

(Adapted from a recipe on honey.com)

Makes 24 – 30 pieces, depending on how you cut them

3 cups finely ground walnuts (360 grams)

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1½ cups clarified butter, divided (made from 1 pound butter; instructions follow)

½ cup honey

1 package (16 oz) filo pastry sheets

Honey Syrup (recipe follows)

1. Preheat the oven to 325˚.

2. Combine walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium bowl. Stir well until the spices seem evenly distributed.

3. Set aside ½ cup of the clarified butter and stir the honey into the remaining 1 cup of clarified butter. (You can microwave it for a few seconds to make it easier to blend well.)

4. Brush the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with some of the clarified butter.

5. Open the filo pastry. Cover it with waxed paper and a damp kitchen towel to keep it from drying out. Every time you take out a sheet, cover it up again.

6. Place a piece of filo in the pan, and brush it with the clarified butter. Repeat with 9 more sheets, brushing each one with more butter, for a total of 10 sheets.

7. Spread 1/3 cup of the walnut mixture over the filo. Place a sheet of filo over the walnuts and brush it with the honey/clarified butter mixture. Add a second sheet of filo and brush it with the honey/butter mixture.

8. Repeat Step #7, adding 1/3 cup of walnuts and two sheets of filo, each brushed with the honey/butter mixture until you have used all of the nuts.

9. Top with 10 or 12 more filo sheets, brushing each one with clarified butter. (I ran out of butter, so I just microwaved a couple of tablespoons of butter to finish up.)

10. With a sharp knife, cut the baklava lengthwise into fourths, being careful to cut all the way through.

11. Cut diagonally across the first cuts to make diamond shapes.

12. Bake at 325˚ for 45 minutes.

13. Reduce heat to 275˚ and bake for another 20 minutes.

14. Remove from the oven and immediately spoon the cool Honey Syrup over the Baklava.

15. Cool on a rack.

I have not tried this, but the recipe says leftover baklava can be wrapped well for the freezer (wrapped in aluminum foil, perhaps) and frozen. When ready to eat, place the unwrapped pieces on a baking sheet in a 325˚ for about 12 minutes, or until heated. Allow to cool before eating.

Clarified Butter

Cut 1 pound butter into small pieces and melt in a small saucepan over low heat. Do not stir! When it’s all melted, carefully skim off the foam on the top. Carefully pour the clear butter into a bowl or measuring cup, leaving the solids on the bottom in the pan. (I ended up pouring the last bit through cheesecloth in a strainer to get every last bit!)

Honey Syrup

(I bought fresh cinnamon sticks. They were very fragrant. It was time to throw out the last ones I had that had no smell.)

1 cup honey

¾ cup water

½ teaspoon grated lemon peel

3 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick, 3 inches long

1½ teaspoons lemon juice

Combine everything in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Remove the cloves and cinnamon before using.