Daring Bakers' Baklava

I have to admit that from the outset I was not so keen of this challenge, simply because I was not moved by how Baklava looked. It vaguely reminded me of Apple Strudle challenge quite long time ago. Rolling dough until it was transparent was just as challenging back then, but I had done that with Apple Strudle and that was the second reason I wasn’t quite interested.

But then I had a strong reason to join this challenge – I was so eager to make the home-made phyllo, the compulsory of this challenge. It might be astonishing, phyllo is an ingredient one could never find in Bangkok. I remembered ordering a phyllo pack from a shop in Singapore and my friend who had picked it up left it in his fridge and totally forgot about it on the day he left for Bangkok to see me.



Apparently I could make good use of my huge rolling pin which helped expand the phyllo dough as wide as possible quite easily. I had decided to go moderate with the recipes and be happy with a smaller size Baklava: 4 inch x 11 inch.

When the baking was done, I couldn’t resist tasting Baklava while it was still hot and crispy. I figured that it would taste better without soaking it in syrup but simply brushing the top with a layer of syrup to create a glossy surface. What do you think?



My first bite into Baklava was just delightful, it was delicious - the nutty fragrance and crispiness had fulfilled my most anticipating palate. Felt good I had taken the Baklava challenge and right there and then, I was glad I could tell everyone how delicious this Greek dessert was.

Thanks so much to Erica of Erica’s Edibles for this luscious dessert! Erica of Erica’s Edibles was our host for the Daring Baker’s June challenge. Erica challenged us to be truly DARING by making homemade phyllo dough and then to use that homemade dough to make Baklava.




BAKLAVA
Makes one 4 inch x 11 inch baklava.



1. Dough

Ingredients:
- 185 g unbleached all purpose (plain) flour
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 105 ml water, plus more if needed
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
- 1/2 tsp cider vinegar, (could substitute white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar, but could affect the taste)

Method:
- In the bowl of your stand mixer combine flour and salt.
- Mix with paddle attachment
- Combine water, oil and vinegar in a small bowl.
- Add water & oil mixture with mixer on low speed, mix until you get a soft dough that sticks together, if it appears dry add a little more water.
- Change to the dough hook and let knead approximately 10 minutes. You will end up with beautiful smooth dough. If you are kneading by hand, knead approx. 20 minutes.
- Remove the dough from mixer and continue to knead for 2 more minutes. Pick up the dough and through it down hard on the counter a few times during the kneading process.
- Shape the dough into a ball and lightly cover with oil
- Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and let rest for 2 hours or more.

Rolling your Phyllo
- Unwrap your dough and cut off a chunk slightly larger then a golf ball. While you are rolling be sure to keep the other dough covered so it doesn’t dry out.
- Be sure to flour your hands, rolling pin and counter. As you roll you will need to keep adding, don’t worry, you can’t over-flour.
- Roll out the dough a bit to flatten it out.
- Wrap the dough around your rolling pin/dowel.
- Roll back and forth quickly with the dough remaining on the dowel. Remove; notice how much bigger it is!
- Rotate and repeat until it is as thin as you can it. Don’t worry if you get rips in the dough, as long as you have one perfect one for the top you will never notice.
- When you get it as thin as you can with the rolling pin, carefully pick it up with well floured hands and stretch it on the backs of your hands as you would a pizza dough, just helps make it that much thinner. Roll out your dough until it is transparent.
- Set aside on a well-floured surface. Repeat the process until your dough is used up. Between each sheet again flower well. You will not need to cover your dough with a wet cloth, as you do with boxed dough, it is moist enough that it will not try out.



2. Syrup

Ingredients:
- 150 ml honey
- 150 ml water
- 140 g sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 fresh citrus peel (lemon or orange work best)
- a few cloves or a pinch or ground clove

Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a medium pot over medium high heat. Stir occasionally until sugar has dissolved. Boil for 10 minutes, stir occasionally.
-3. Once boiled for 10 minutes remove from heat and strain cinnamon stick and lemon, allow to cool as baklava cooks.



3. Filling

Ingredients:
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 100 g almond meal
- 50 g almond chunks
- 75 g sugar
- phyllo dough (see recipe above)
- 100g melted butter

Directions:
- Preheat oven to moderate 180°C.
- Combine nuts, sugar and spices. Set aside.
- Trim your phyllo sheets to fit in your pan
- Brush bottom of pan with butter and place first phyllo sheet
- Brush the first phyllo sheet with butter and repeat approximately 5 times ending with butter. (Most recipes say more, but homemade phyllo is thicker so it's not needed)
- Sprinkle 1/3 of the nut mixture on top
- Continue layering phyllo and buttering repeating 4 times
- Sprinkle 1/3 of the nut mixture on top
- Continue layering phyllo and buttering repeating 4 times
- Sprinkle 1/3 of the nut mixture on top
- Continue layering and buttering phyllo 5 more times. On the top layer, make sure you have a piece of phyllo with no holes if possible, just looks better.
- Once you have applied the top layer tuck in all the edges to give a nice appearance.
- With a Sharp knife cut your baklava in desired shapes and number of pieces. If you can't cut all the ways through don’t worry you will cut again later. A 9x9 pan cuts nicely into 30 pieces. Then brush with a generous layer of butter making sure to cover every area and edge
- Bake for approximately 30 minutes; remove from oven and cut again this time all the way through. Continue baking for another 30 minutes. (Oven temperatures will vary, you are looking for the top to be a golden brown, take close watch yours may need more or less time in the oven)
- When baklava is cooked remove from oven and pour the cooled (will still be warmish) syrup evenly over the top, taking care to cover all surfaces when pouring. It looks like it is a lot but over night the syrup will soak into the baklava creating a beautifully sweet and wonderfully textured baklava! Next morning all syrup is absorbed .
- Allow to cool to room temperature. Once cooled cover and store at room temperature. Allow the baklava to sit overnight to absorb the syrup.
- Serve at room temperature