Mark's Favorite Baclava Recipe

(Swiped from this Website. Thank-you!)

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons honey
2 pounds filo pastry
1 lemon rind
1 pound sweet butter
1 stick cinnamon
4 shots ouzo
4 whole cloves
1/2 pound English walnuts
1/2 pound pecans
4 ounces blanched almonds

Directions

  1. Put the ouzo into the cook. (You are going to need it!)

  2. Combine 3 cups of the sugar, the water, honey, lemon rind and whole spices into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, then remove the lemon peel and spices and let cool.

  3. Chop the nuts fine using a hand operated nut grinder (preferred) or with a knife on a cutting board.
    (Takes a long time, cook may require a second shot of ouzo) In a large bowl, combine the chopped nuts, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and ground spices.

  4. Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat until a foam rises to the surface. Skim off and discard the foam.

  5. Next, assemble the baclava. This is a long and tedious operation so before you begin, take a potty break.
    (While you're at it, put another shot of ouzo into the cook.) Read the handling instructions on the filo package. Lay the sheets flat, cover with a damp dishtowel, and keep covered except when removing a sheet to assemble the baclava. (This is to prevent the filo from drying out and cracking.) Using a pastry brush, butter a 11 1/2 X 15 1/2 X 3-inch pan. Lay a filo sheet on the bottom of the pan, brush with warm butter, and repeat 7 more times. Scoop up a handful of the nut and spice mixture and sprinkle over the top filo sheet in the pan. Lay on 2 more filo sheets, brushing each with butter, and sprinkle again with the nut mixture. Continue, ad nauseum, until you have just 8 sheets of filo remaining. Lay these sheets onto the baclava brushing each sheet with butter.... whew! that's the worst of it.

  6. Start preheating your oven to 300 degrees. Then, using a long sharp knife, cut the baclava from top to bottom into diamond shapes planning in advance the size desired. (ie. for "low cal" baclava, cut the diamonds smaller.) Be sure the knife touches the bottom of the pan as you cut. Heat the remaining butter to sizzling and pour over the top.

  7. Bake the baclava for 1 1/4 hours or until golden chestnut color and flaky. Remove from the oven and spoon the cooled syrup over the entire pastry. Serve warm or cooled. (And reward yourself with another shot of ouzo!)

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