Sweet Chocolately Delicious Baklava Food

BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 390 degrees F then reduce heat to 300 degrees F before adding the baklava.
• Combine walnuts, cinnamon, ground cloves, sugar and bread crumbs together in a large bowl.
• Grease a baking pan with the melted butter. It should be the same size as the sheets of pastry. Trim the pastry to fit, if needed.
• Brush 1 sheet of pastry with melted butter and place in the bottom of the pan. Repeat this until you have a layer about 5 or 6 sheets deep. Cover with some of the nut filling. Place 2 more buttered pastry sheets on top and cover with more of the nut filling. Continue the layers until all of the filling is used. Use the last 4 or 5 of the buttered pastry sheets as the top layer.
• Using a small sharp knife cut a diamond shaped pattern into the baklava, cutting through the layers to the bottom of the pan. Stud the top of the baklava with the whole cloves.
• Bake in the center of the pre-heated oven for 1 1/2 hours. For fan-forced ovens it may be necessary to cover the baklava with aluminum foil to prevent it becoming too dark.
• When baked through remove and cool to room temperature.
• To make the syrup:
• Place the sugar, honey, water, cloves, butter and cinnamon in a saucepan and stir to combine. Boil for 7 to 10 minutes, then remove the cloves and cinnamon, with a slotted spoon and add the lemon juice.
• Pour the boiling syrup over the room temperature baklava. Allow to cool to the touch and serve.

EASY CHOCOLATELY HOLIDAY COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease miniature muffin tin. Press 1 tablespoon dough into each cup and top with miniature peanut butter cups or chocolate star kisses. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or golden brown.

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.

MIXED-NUT HONEY BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Soak the diced figs in the rum in a large bowl for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the walnuts and almonds out on a baking sheet and toast until darkened and fragrant, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool. Toss the nuts, chocolate, sugar, and spices with the figs and the rum.
• Bring the butter to a simmer over low heat. Skim and discard the foamy solids that rise to the top until the butter is clear, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Lightly butter a 16 1/2 by 11 1/2-inch sheet pan. Remove the phyllo from the package, unroll and lay it on the counter next to the pan and cover with a kitchen towel. Lay 1 sheet of the phyllo on the pan and brush lightly with butter. Repeat with 11 more sheets of phyllo working quickly and keeping the phyllo covered, as you assemble the baklava. Scatter 1/3 of the nut mixture (about 1 1/2 cups) evenly over the layers of phyllo. Repeat 2 more times and top with the remaining 12 sheets of dough. Carefully, cut 3/4 of the way through the phyllo and nut filling to make about 96 (1 1/2-inch) squares.
• Bake the baklava until light brown and cooked through, about 1 hour. Raise the temperature to 450 degrees F and bake until golden crisp, about 5 to 8 more minutes.
• While the baklava crisps make the syrup: Heat the sugar, honey, and water in a saucepan over high heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon juice and carefully pour the hot syrup over the just baked baklava, making sure to get into all the cuts. Let cool. Complete the pre-made cuts in the baklava and serve with some honey drizzled on top.
• Store the baklava in a sealed container for up to 1 week.

BAKLAVA

Steps:

• In a small sauce pan, bring the milk to a boil. Stir in the farina and cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Take off the heat and stir in the nuts, 1/4 cup of the butter and sugar. Set aside to cool. Butter the bottom of a walled 8 by 8-inch square pan. Cut the phyllo sheets in half, to fit the pan. Lay 2 sheets in the pan then brush with some remaining melted butter, coating the phyllo completely. Repeat 6 more times, making a layer 12 sheets thick. Spread the nut filling evenly over the phyllo then cover with 12 more sheets, buttering every other sheet. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
• Using a sharp knife cut the phyllo in 1 1/2-inch diamond shapes. Bake in a preheated 375-degree F oven for 20 minutes until light golden brown. Remove from the oven and spoon any leftover melted butter over the top of the phyllo. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees and continue baking until deep golden, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Tilt the pan to allow the butter to drain to one side. Remove 1 piece of baklava and let sit tilted 30 minutes. Spoon out excess butter.
• Run a sharp knife along the baklava's score lines to loosen. Heat the bottom of the baklava up on a griddle or move it over a gas burner. Ladle the hot syrup over the cut lines of the baklava and shake the tray to loosen the pieces. It may sizzle slightly. Drizzle a bit of syrup over the top. You can drain it again, letting it tilt for 2 hours. Then let it sit overnight.
• Combine all the syrup ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer then for 10 minutes.

CHOCOLATE BAKLAVA

Steps:

• In a small skillet, melt butter over low heat.
• Let stand a few minutes.
• Skim off and discard white foam from top and do not use any milky residue that sinks to bottom.
• The clear yellow liquid is clarified butter.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a medium bowl, combine pecans, cinnamon, 1/4 cup sugar, and chocolate chips.
• Mix well.
• Open and stack phyllo sheets on a damp towel.
• Cover with a damp towel to prevent drying out.
• Brush a 12x18-inch sheet cake pan with clarified butter.
• Layer half of phyllo sheets (about 10 x 12) in pan, brushing each sheet with butter.
• Spread half of nut mixture evenly over layered phyllo sheets.
• Brush next phyllo sheet on both sides with butter, then place on top of nuts.
• Add 5 or 6 more phyllo sheets, brushing each sheet with butter.
• Top with the remaining nut mixture.
• Butter next phyllo sheet on both sides and place on top of the nuts.
• Top with remaining phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter.
• Using a sharp knife, cut pastry into 50 diamond-shaped pieces.
• Do not remove pastry from pan.
• Brush top with remaining clarified butter.
• Bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until golden.
• About 30 minutes before baklava is finished baking, in a small saucepan, combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar and orange juice.
• Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring often.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Pour hot orange syrup over hot baklava as soon as it is removed from oven.
• Let stand until cool, 4 hours or overnight.
• When baklava is cool, drizzle Thin Chocolate Glaze on top.
• Allow glaze to set up before serving.
• Baklava may be kept, covered, 4 to 5 days at room temperature.
• Freeze for longer storage.
• To make the Thin Chocolate Glaze------------------.
• In a small glass bowl, combine chocolate, butter, and 1 tablespoon water.
• Heat in the microwave on High 30 to 45 seconds, or until melted and smooth when stirred.