Once upon a time, many European countries were under great influence of Ottoman Empire. Turks are long gone, but one of their traditional desserts is still quite popular. It is called Baklava, and, just as some other similar specialties, is really sweet and moist. Basically, it is made of numerous layers of filo, generous amount of sugar syrup and chopped and ground nuts, with the addition of lemon juice and spices.
Phillo is quite difficult to make, if you have never tried. It is much easier to buy already made sheets. The whole procedure is simple. Every sheet needs to be placed in a pan, coated with thin layer of melted butter or oil, and covered with another sheet. Every third or fourth sheet should be sprinkled with ground or chopped nuts and spices, finishing with four sheets of filo.
Sugar syrup is easy to prepare. One and half cups of water and three cups of sugar should be cooked until syrupy, with some cinnamon and lemon juice. Replace some sugar with honey if you want. You may add cloves, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla and other spices of your choice.
Once done, the cake should be cut to diamond shapes or cubes, using a sharp knife. Finishing layer needs to be sprinkled with water. Bake in preheated oven for approximately half an hour, on 180 degrees. Sugar syrup should be cooled and poured over hot cake. Few hours later, your cake is ready to be served.
It is possible to use any type of nuts, and you can make interesting combinations if you combine pistachios and almonds, for example. Cup or two of finely chopped dry fruits, such as dates, are also very nice addition to your filling. Raisins, figs and dry apricots taste very nicely combined with hazelnuts, for example, especially if you add cloves and cardamom.
You can add different spices into your syrup as well. Orange zest, cardamom and cloves are often added, but you can also add some rum, lime instead of lemon, some vanilla or any other mixture of spices. It is always quite tasty to replace at least one part of needed sugar with some honey, but it depends on your taste. Add your favorite spices in it.
Chocolate is always interesting. Make the cake on your usual way. When your sugar syrup is prepared, melt some chocolate in it, maybe two hundred grams or so. Add orange zest and replace lemon with orange juice. Use your favorite spices. Cinnamon goes very well with chocolate, as well as vanilla. Pour warm syrup over hot cake and leave it to cool completely. You won't be disappointed with this version.
Really tasty filling is the one that include chopped and ground almonds and one to two cups of finely chopped apricots. If you add some apricot liqueur and orange juice and zest in your syrup, it will be even more interesting. You can play with different spices and other ingredients to create your own recipes, designed to suit your taste.
Phillo is quite difficult to make, if you have never tried. It is much easier to buy already made sheets. The whole procedure is simple. Every sheet needs to be placed in a pan, coated with thin layer of melted butter or oil, and covered with another sheet. Every third or fourth sheet should be sprinkled with ground or chopped nuts and spices, finishing with four sheets of filo.
Sugar syrup is easy to prepare. One and half cups of water and three cups of sugar should be cooked until syrupy, with some cinnamon and lemon juice. Replace some sugar with honey if you want. You may add cloves, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla and other spices of your choice.
Once done, the cake should be cut to diamond shapes or cubes, using a sharp knife. Finishing layer needs to be sprinkled with water. Bake in preheated oven for approximately half an hour, on 180 degrees. Sugar syrup should be cooled and poured over hot cake. Few hours later, your cake is ready to be served.
It is possible to use any type of nuts, and you can make interesting combinations if you combine pistachios and almonds, for example. Cup or two of finely chopped dry fruits, such as dates, are also very nice addition to your filling. Raisins, figs and dry apricots taste very nicely combined with hazelnuts, for example, especially if you add cloves and cardamom.
You can add different spices into your syrup as well. Orange zest, cardamom and cloves are often added, but you can also add some rum, lime instead of lemon, some vanilla or any other mixture of spices. It is always quite tasty to replace at least one part of needed sugar with some honey, but it depends on your taste. Add your favorite spices in it.
Chocolate is always interesting. Make the cake on your usual way. When your sugar syrup is prepared, melt some chocolate in it, maybe two hundred grams or so. Add orange zest and replace lemon with orange juice. Use your favorite spices. Cinnamon goes very well with chocolate, as well as vanilla. Pour warm syrup over hot cake and leave it to cool completely. You won't be disappointed with this version.
Really tasty filling is the one that include chopped and ground almonds and one to two cups of finely chopped apricots. If you add some apricot liqueur and orange juice and zest in your syrup, it will be even more interesting. You can play with different spices and other ingredients to create your own recipes, designed to suit your taste.
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