Baklava Cookies Good Stuff By Top Chef Spike Mendelsohn Food

BAKLAVA COOKIES GOOD STUFF BY TOP CHEF SPIKE MENDELSOHN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• To make cookies, in a bowl, mix together flour, walnuts, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a second bowl, beat together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Slowly blend in the flour nut-mixture.
• Using your hands, form small, round dough balls and place them on ungreased baking sheets. Gently press down in the balls to slightly flatten each cookie.
• To make the glaze, heat the honey, butter, vanilla, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a large saucepan over low heat until syrupy. Set aside until ready to use.
• Bake the cookies for 10 minute or until golden. Remove from the oven and drizzle the glaze over the cookies. Let stand on the sheets until cooled completely.

CHOCOLATE BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 10x14-inch baking pan with butter.
• Mix pecans, dark chocolate, 3/4 cup sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Trim phyllo dough to fit prepared baking pan. Layer 8 sheets of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, brushing each sheet with melted butter; sprinkle with 2 cups pecan mixture. Spread butter on 4 more sheets of phyllo and layer over pecans; sprinkle with 2 more cups pecans. Repeat layers with 4 more sheets of phyllo and remaining pecans. Pour any leftover butter over baklava.
• Cut through the top few layers of phyllo lengthwise, leaving bottom layer intact, to create 4 long rows. Make evenly-spaced zigzag cuts along each row to create small triangles, again leaving bottom layer of phyllo intact.
• Bake in preheated oven until phyllo dough is golden brown and flaky, about 1 hour; immediately finish cutting through to bottom layer of baklava.
• Bring orange juice, honey, water, 1/2 cup sugar, and lemon juice to a boil in a saucepan; reduce heat to medium and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. Pour sauce over baklava.
• Melt remaining 2 ounces chocolate and 1 teaspoon butter in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching. Drizzle chocolate over baklava. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

BAKLAVA COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. Instructions In a small saucepan, over low heat, melt butter; stir in the powdered sugar and honey. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in walnuts and cinnamon. Let it cool for 30 minutes.
• 2. Meanwhile, divide cookie dough into 24 pieces and roll each into a ball. Place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet that's been greased or lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes.
• 3. Remove cookies and place a small dollup of nut mixture in the center of each cookie. Bake another 2-3 minutes until done. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

EXQUISITE AND ADDICTIVE ROLLED BAKLAVA COOKIES

Steps:

• Spread out one sheet of phyllo dough.
• Keep the other sheets covered with a damp towel to prevent from drying and becoming brittle.
• Lightly brush with butter or spray the oil.
• Place another sheet of phyllo dough on top of the first sheet.
• Brush 2nd sheet with butter or oil and sprinkle the nut, sugar, and cinnamon filling lightly over whole sheet.
• Place a third sheet of phyllo dough over first two sheets.
• Brush with butter or oil and lightly sprinkle nut filling again.
• Roll the 3 sheets up tightly as you would a cigar or jellyroll.
• Slice diagonally into 1 or 2 inch pieces and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet with sides *make sure you have sides on your cookie sheet (aka "jelly roll pan").
• Repeat until all the phyllo dough and filling have been used, using three sheets for each roll.
• Brush tops of baklava pieces with melted butter and sprinkle with raw (turbinado) sugar.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
• Remove from oven to cool. Leave in pan.
• In a saucepan heat the honey, sugar, water, and lemon rind together and bring to a boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Pour over cooled baklava pieces. You may have to turn them once to make sure they are completely saturated with the syrup.
• Let them stay in pan long enough to absorb the syrup.
• Eat and then serve what is left; or serve and eat. It is your choice, but I guarantee there will never be any left!
• Cover and refrigerate. These can be frozen.

GOOD STUFF SAUCE BY TOP CHEF SPIKE MENDELSOHN

Steps:

• Add the mayonnaise, ketchup, molasses, vinegar, and salt to a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. The sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week (my college stomach can go for two because I live life dangerously and this makes so much! I have to have lots of people over).