Recipes

[LoLa]

Apple Baklava
(recipe source: amybites.com)

When I found this recipe, I was so happy because I love Baklava and thought the addition of apples would be so perfect for this time of the year. The only changes I made to the original recipe was to peel and finely dice the apples instead of leaving the skins on and slicing them thinly.

For the baklava:
2 cups walnuts
1 cup pecans
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 large apples (peeled and finely diced) I like Braeburn or Granny Smith
1 pkg frozen phyllo dough, thawed (25 sheets)
Butter-flavored cooking spray

For the syrup:
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup honey
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup water
dash ground ginger
dash ground cloves
dash ground nutmeg

For the syrup:
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Combine all syrup ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Lower heat to medium-low and continue to boil until reduced by half. Transfer to bowl and cool completely.
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For the baklava
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Preheat oven to 350º. Spread nuts out in single layer on baking sheet. Toast in oven for 5 to 10 minutes or until fragrant. Transfer to food processor. Add brown sugar and cinnamon. Pulse until the mixture has a medium-fine texture.
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Spray 8×8 baking dish with butter-flavored spray. Lay phyllo sheets out flat and cover with plastic wrap, then with a damp kitchen towel. Working quickly, take one sheet and fold in half in the bottom of the baking dish. Spray with cooking spray. Repeat stacking and spraying with four more sheets. Spread about 1/4 of the nut mixture on top of the dough layer.

Place half of the chopped apples in a single, even layer on top of the nuts. Cover with another thin layer of nuts, using about 1/3 of the nut mixture total.
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Repeat this process a second time. Then repeat a third time, leaving out the apples. Top with another 5 sheets of dough and cooking spray. Using a sharp knife, cut into 16 equal squares. Bake until dough is light golden-brown, about 45 minutes. Pour cooled syrup over hot baklava. Cool to room temperature before serving.