Baklava

Baklava is a Middle Eastern specialty. Baklava is made in many shapes I decided to make them in rolls. Instead of honey I used combination of sugar and honey to glaze and flavored with cardamom.
Baklava is made using phyllo dough; it is available in frozen section where you can find puff pastries in supermarkets. I bought Athens Pyhllo dough at Target.
Recipe will make 24 pieces

Ingredients

12 sheets of phyllo dough
1 1/2 cup clarified butter
1 1/2 cup ground almond
1 1/2 cup ground walnuts
3 tbsp pistachios
3/4 cup coconut powder
1 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
3 1/4 cup of sugar

Syrup

1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/8 cup honey
2 teaspoon lemon juice
About 2 tablespoon sliced pistachios for garnish

Note

Be sure to thaw the phyllo dough using the instruction from the package, phyllo dough should be at room temperature before using. Do not open the package until you are ready to use. Unused sheets roll them in clear plastic wrap and refrigerate.
For baking I am using  two 9×13 baking pans. I usually line my baking pans with foil and spray with non stick cooking spray to make it easy for clean up :).

Method

Filling

Combine all the dry ingredients, ground almonds, walnuts, pistachios, coconut, sugar, and cardamom.
Preheat the oven 350 degree F.

Making the Pastry

Work on a clean, dry, flat surface, Open the phyllo dough and take one sheet spread over the working surface and fold it making it double in length wise(fold it into half). Lightly brush the sheet with butter.
You will be working with the short side.
Leave about half inch of sheet across the short side and sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the filling from edge to edge evenly. Roll it like a jelly roll twice and brush the rolled part lightly with butter.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the filling from edge to edge evenly again.
Roll it up carefully, after every roll brush it with butter, and place seam side down in the baking tray.
Repeat the process until you finish rolling all 12 sheets.
The pieces should fit snugly, but not squashed.
With a very sharp knife, cut the roll into 2 equal pieces in length, total of 24 pieces.
Note: You can cut the rolls into what ever size you want. My husband has a sweet tooth so I prefer to cut my rolls into halves. 
Lightly brush the butter over each piece.
Bake the baklava for about 25 to 30 minutes until they are light golden brown in color.
Syrup Boil the sugar and water together until syrup is 220 degrees Fahrenheit on candy thermometer or ½ thread consistency. Add the lemon juice and cardamom powder and turn off the heat. Lemon juice keeps the syrup from crystallizing.
Carefully pour the hot (but not boiling) syrup evenly over all the baklava pieces. Sprinkle few pieces of the sliced pistachios over baklava.
Allow the baklava to cool before serving. Enjoy!

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