Paklava Armenian Baklava Food

ARMENIAN PAKLAVA

Steps:

• Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
• In your food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse together the walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and cloves until everything is well combined and the mixture resembles coarse sand. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and set aside.
• Open and unroll your package of phyllo dough.
• Using a pastry brush with natural bristles, brush a thin layer of melted butter on the bottom and sides of a 9 X 13-inch baking pan.
• Take one sheet of the phyllo dough and lay it on the bottom of the pan, folding in the overhanging side to fit. Since you’ll be making a two-thirds fold with each sheet, you want to remember to alternate the direction of the fold each time you make a new layer to prevent one side of the finished paklava from being thicker than the other side. Using the pastry brush, immediately brush a thin layer of butter over the entire sheet of phyllo dough. You can also use the pastry brush to push down the phyllo dough around the sides of the pan, helping to creating a cleaner and more even edge.
• Repeat this layering process with three more sheets of phyllo dough. Then evenly spread a rounded cup of the walnut mixture over top of the phyllo dough.
• Repeat this process a total of three more times, but now using only three sheets of phyllo dough for each layer.
• After the last layer of the walnut mixture, layer four sheets of phyllo dough to make the top. Then using a sharp knife, make four vertical slices through the assembled paklava. Next, start in one of the corners of the baking pan and make slices on the diagonal to create the diamond shapes. You can use the pastry brush to help hold down the layers of phyllo dough while you slice through it with the knife. And after you’re done, any pieces of phyllo dough that moved or got misshapen can be re-adjusted with the pastry brush.
• Pour any of the remaining melted butter through the slices on the paklava. Then transfer the baking pan to your pre-heated over and bake the paklava for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
• While the paklava bakes, make the syrup. Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature.
• Once the paklava is cool, go over all the slices a second time with your knife to make sure the pieces are cut all the way through to the bottom. Then slowly pour the cooled syrup between the slices. I typically use about two-thirds of the syrup, but you can use more or less depending on your desired level of sweetness.
• Let the paklava rest in its baking pan for about an hour before serving to allow time for the syrup to absorb into the layers.
• Leftover paklava can be stored in your refrigerator for 5-6 days.

PAKLAVA - TRADITIONAL STYLE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine nuts and cinnamon. Set aside.
• Lightly brush a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with melted butter.
• Place half of the phyllo sheets (20 sheets) on the bottom of the pan, lightly brushing every (or every other) sheet with melted butter.
• Spread with nut mixture.
• Layer the rest of the phyllo sheets (20 more sheets) on top, lightly brushing each sheet, including the top layer, with melted butter.
• Place tray of unbaked paklava in refrigerator for about 45 minutes to one hour before attempting to cut.
• To make diamond-shaped cuts: using a very sharp knife, cut diagonally, then make vertical cuts through phyllo dough.
• Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until golden brown.
• As soon as the paklava comes out of the oven, spoon some of the cooled syrup over the top of each piece. Cool completely before serving.

MIDDLE EASTERN NUT-FILLED MULTILAYERED PASTRY (BAKLAVA)

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.