The Best Chocolate Honey Baklavas Tart Food

BAKLAVA RECIPE- HOW TO MAKE BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the sugar and water in a saucepan and heat stove-top, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Add the honey, orange extract if using, and whole cloves; stir to mix. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer for about 25 minutes. Remove syrup from heat and let cool to lukewarm. Add lemon juice. Remove the whole cloves.
• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade, add the pistachios, walnut, and hazelnuts. Pulse a few times to chop. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add sugar, cinnamon, and ground cloves. Mix well to combine.
• Unroll the thawed phyllo pastry and place the sheets in between two clean kitchen towels. This will help keep the phyllo from breaking while you work.
• Prepare a 9"x 13"x 2" baking pan. Brush the interior of the baking pan with some of the melted butter. To assemble the baklava, take one sheet of phyllo and place it in the pan (for this size pan, I typically fold my phyllo sheet in half, and it fits perfectly. You can also do a bit of trimming using a pair of kitchen shears). Brush the top of the phyllo sheet with the melted butter.
• Repeat this process a few more times until you have used up about 1/3 of the phyllo pastry, each layer being brushed with the melted butter.
• Now, distribute about ½ of the nut mixture evenly over the top layer of phyllo.
• Continue assembling the baklava, one sheet of phyllo pastry at a time using another 1/3 of the phyllo. Again, brush each layer with a bit of the melted butter.
• Distribute the remaining ½ of the nut mixture evenly over the top layer of phyllo.
• Finish the remaining 1/3 of the phyllo pastry following the same process, laying one folded sheet at a time and brushing each layer with melted butter. Brush the very top sheet of phyllo with butter.
• Using a sharp knife, cut the pastry into 24 diamond shaped pieces (you can get up to 36 smaller pieces). (Review the tutorial above to see how I cut baklava).
• Place the baking dish on the middle rack of your heated oven. Bake anywhere from 35 to 45 minutes or until the top of the baklava turns golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. (IMPORTANT...Because ovens vary, be sure to check your baklava half-way through baking).
• As soon as you remove the baklava from the oven, pour the cooled syrup all over the hot baklava.
• Allow baklava to sit for a few hours before serving or for at least 1 hour. Cut through the earlier marked pieces. Serve with a garnish of chopped pistachios, if you like.

THE BEST CHOCOLATE HONEY BAKLAVAS TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180oC / 350o F or 160oC / 320oF, for convectionoven.
• While the oven is preheating, toast the walnuts and almonds, for about 15 minutes and set aside to cool. Reserve 10 walnuts halves for decoration. Whenthey cool pulse the remaining in a food processor with a couple of spins tomake coarse pieces. Add the bread crumbs, cinnamon, cloves and cane sugar to the nuts, mix and set aside.
• Prepare the syrup. Put the honey with water as well as spices in a small pot and mix until the honey has dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the spices and add the lemon juice.
• Prepare the clarified butter. Put the butter in a small frying pan or pot and melt it over medium heat. Remove the froth which rises on top and use the melted butter only. The milk solids should be discarded.
• Take 10 sheets of phyllo and put the tart pan on top. Lightly score the phyllos 2.5 cm (1 inch) away from the tart pan and with a scissors, cut round sheets of phyllo.
• Brush the tart pan with butter.
• Brush three sheets of phyllo and place one on top of the other. Using the brush, arrange them to sit on the tart pan. Sprinkle 1/3 of the nut mixture on top. Place another two phyllos, brushed with butter on top and press them with the brush to sit over the nuts. Add the next 1/3 of nuts and two more sheets on top, brushed with butter. Continue with the remaining nuts.. Finally add the remaining three sheets, each one brushed with butter.
• Now take the edges of the phyllo and twist them around the pan, to form the rim. If the edges are dry, wet them by brushing them with some butter. Finally brush the top.
• Wet your hands and sprinkle some water on top.
• Reduce the temperature to 160oC / 320oF or 150oC / 302oF for a convection oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden on top.
• When the baklavas is ready, remove from the oven. Using a spoon wet the surface and sides of the tart with the cold (or lukewarm) syrup. Set aside untilthe syrup is absorbed.
• While it is cooling prepare the chocolate ganache. Place a double boiler (bain Mari) on the heat and add the heavy cream. When the water starts boiling add the chocolate, cut into pieces and mix until it starts melting. Add the vanilla or raspberry essence, salt and pepper and continue mixing until it melts.
• Add the chocolate ganache on top and decorate it with the reserved roasted walnut halves.
• Set aside for a few hours for the chocolate to set before cutting. If you like, when the ganache sets, you can decorate it with whipped cream as well.
• No refrigeration is needed. However, if you add the whipped cream you will have to refrigerate it.

PISTACHIO BAKLAVA TARTLETS

Steps:

• Melt 5 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Place 15 mini phyllo shells on a baking sheet and brush with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees F until just golden, 10 minutes. Meanwhile, add 1/4 cup chopped pistachios, 1/4 cup each honey and sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon allspice and a pinch of salt to the butter in the skillet; cook, stirring until thick, 5 minutes. Divide among the shells and sprinkle with grated chocolate. Let cool.

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 RECIPE

Steps:

• Thaw phyllo dough by package instructions (this is best done overnight in the fridge, then place it on the counter for 1 hr before starting your recipe to bring it to room temp).
• Trim phyllo dough to fit your baking dish. My phyllo package had 2 rolls with a total of 40 sheets that measured 9x14 so I had to trim them slightly. You can trim one stack at a time then cover with a damp towel to keep from drying out.
• Butter the bottom and sides of a 13x9 non-stick baking pan.
• In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup honey, 2 Tbsp lemon juice, and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil over med/high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then reduce heat to med/low and boil additional 4 min without stirring. Remove from heat and let syrup cool while preparing baklava.
• Pulse walnuts 10 times in a food process or until coarsely ground/ finely chopped. In a medium bowl, stir together: 4 cups finely chopped walnuts and 1 tsp cinnamon.
• Place 10 phyllo sheets into baking pan one at a time, brushing each sheet with butter once it's in the pan before adding the next (i.e. place phyllo sheet into pan, brush the top with butter, place next phyllo sheet in pan, butter the top, etc. etc.). Keep remaining phyllo covered with a damp towel at all times. Spread about 1/5 of nut mixture (about 3/4 cup) over phyllo dough.
• Add 5 buttered sheets of phyllo, then another layer of nuts. Repeat x 4. Finish off with 10 layers of buttered phyllo sheets. Brush the very top with butter.
• Cut pastry into 1 1/2" wide strips, then cut diagonally to form diamond shapes. Bake at 325˚F for 1 hour and 15 min or until tops are golden brown.
• Remove from oven and immediately spoon cooled syrup evenly over the hot baklava (you'll hear it sizzle). This will ensure that it stays crisp rather than soggy. Let baklava cool completely, uncovered and at room temp. For best results, let baklava sit 4-6 hours or overnight at room temperature for the syrup to penetrate and soften the layers. Garnish baklava with finely chopped nuts or drizzle with melted chocolate. Store at room temp, covered with a tea towel for 1 to 2 weeks.

CHOCOLATE HONEY ALMOND TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
• Place the graham crackers and almonds in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture forms fine crumbs, about 15 to 20 seconds. Add the butter and pulse until incorporated. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
• In a small saucepan, whisk the cream and honey together over low heat until the honey has dissolved. Increase the heat to medium and bring the mixture to just below a boil. Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir until the mixture is smooth. Pour the chocolate filling over the prepared crust. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours or preferably overnight.
• Loosen the tart from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the edge. Unmold the tart and transfer to a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve.

SALTED HONEY FUDGE & CHOCOLATE TART

Steps:

• Dice the pastry into chunks and put in a food processor. Sift over the cocoa, drizzle over the honey, then pulse to combine into a chocolate pastry (see tip box, below left). Roll out the dough on a lightly cocoa-dusted work surface, big enough to line a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin with a little overhang. Cover and chill for 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Scrunch up a big sheet of baking parchment and use to line the tart tin. Fill with baking beans and bake for 15-20 mins until sandy and the sides are firm. Remove the beans and paper, and bake for a further 5-15 mins until really biscuity. Trim off the overhang and cool.
• Put the honey fudge ingredients into a small pan and warm gently until the butter has completely melted. Bring to a gentle simmer and bubble, stirring, for 4-5 mins until more golden coloured and thickened. Stir in ¼-½ tsp good salt (to taste), then pour into the tart case. Chill for 30 mins.
• For the topping, mix the chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Gently melt, stirring occasionally, until combined. Cool for 5 mins, then pour into the tart case gently, covering the honey layer. Chill until ready to serve.
• Remove from the fridge 10 mins before serving, to soften a little. Dust with cocoa and scatter with a little crumbled honeycomb, if you like, then serve with dollops of crème fraîche or a jug of cream.

CHOCOLATE-HONEY TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch diameter tart pan with removable bottom with nonstick spray. Grind graham crackers with 3 tablespoons butter and honey in processor until fine crumbs form. Press crumbs evenly onto bottom (not up sides) of prepared tart pan. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Cool.
• Bring cream and lavender just to boil in small saucepan. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Place chocolate in medium saucepan. Strain hot cream mixture into saucepan with chocolate. Stir over medium-low heat just until melted and smooth. Add cocoa powder and remaining 1 tablespoon butter; stir until melted and smooth. Pour chocolate mixture over crust in tart pan. Chill at least 45 minutes (chocolate will be slightly soft after 45 minutes and firm after 2 hours). Cut into wedges and serve. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.
• Also called culinary lavender buds; available at many natural foods stores and some farmers' markets and from Dean and Deluca