How about a little more baklava!!!!!

I have a friend that has been bugging me to make him some baklava for some time now. Well today, I finally granted his request and made the BEST (well I thought so) baklava! 

Considering I work at a Greek restraurant there is always baklava around! And let me tell you, it is not easy not eating it on a daily basis! We used to have a baklava coupe with pistachio, chocolate, and vanilla ice cream with baklava and fresh strawberries... TO DIE FOR!!! But lately we took it off the menu for baklava Sundae... Not as delish but still good! We have also dabbled in making a baklava milkshake once which is phenomenal! But even after a rough day a good, buttery, sweet piece of baklava can make it alllll better! 

So knowing how great baklava can be, I knew I had some standards to meet! And I'm pretty sure I surpassed them...AND luckily I am giving them away or else I probably would have ate the whole pan.. 

I started with the syrup. It's best to make that first and then let it cool while you prep and cook the baklava. After the syrup I made the nut mixture with walnuts, pecans, cinnamon, and brown sugar in the food processor.

Once i had my nut mixture I started on the phyllo dough bottom. FOREWARNING!!! Move over Paula Deen because there is ALOT of real butter used in this recipe! 

After making a solid buttery bottom I added the nut mixture and layerd the phyllo dough again for the top and it was prepped to bake!

Before baking! You can see all the butter! Yummy! 

After baking with the added pistachios and syrup topping! Yum to DIE for! 

I'm so glad the phyllo dough package had 2 doughs in one box because I'll be making more very soon!

See recipe below!

Sincerely, 

Sarah :)

Baklava to give you a muffintop!

1 pkg phyllo dough 

1 lb of walnuts and pecans mixed

1 tsp cinnamon 

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cup butter

2 cups pistachios 

Syrup:

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1/2 cup honey 

1 tbs vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

To start make the syrup first. On a stove dissolve one cup of sugar into the water and bring to a boil. Add in honey and vanilla turn down to a simmer for 20 min stirring frequently. After the 20 min set aside and let cool

Next, using a food processor, combine the 1lb of mixed nuts, cinnamon, and brown sugar and grind into a fine mixture and set aside. Now, melt 1 and 1/2 cups of butter to start making your phyllo crust. Using a greased 9x13 pan start layering 1-2 sheets of phyllo dough saturated in butter. (The best way to do this is using a pastry brush).  Once you have about 8 layers add your nut mixture and start layering you phyllo dough with butter again to make the top crust. Once you have your top crust you will now cut the baklava into squares and then place them into the oven at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. You will notice the baklava turning golden brown. After the 50 minutes, sprinkle pistachios on top and then pour cooled syrup over and let the baklava cool. If needed re-cut baklava so they are seperated and come out nicely. 

And now try not to eat the whole pan to yourself :)