June 2011 Daring Bakers’ Challenge – Baklava
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.
Homemade dough? Are you kidding?
My jaw hit the desk when I read that I would need to roll out homemade phyllo dough into a superthin sheet.
I panicked.
No way was I going to be able to roll out dough that thin.
Then my friend, Carrie, let me borrow her pasta roller. That made short work of this challenge although the sheets were only about 4 to 5 inches wide when I rolled them through so I chose to make baklava rolls much like this video.
Although pistachios or walnuts are typically the nut used in the baklava filling I chose pecans.
Very Nice Flavor.
When all was said and done I had created a very nice dessert but it really didn’t taste like baklava to me. It was described (by Carrie – my official blog-taste-tester) as tasting more like rugelach and I think that is a very accurate description. My phyllo dough just didn’t have the crispy texture I associate with phyllo dough.
Give it a try, maybe you will have more success than I did.
Phyllo Dough
1 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/8 t. salt
1/2 c. less 1 T. water
2 T. canola oil, plus additional for coating the dough
1/2 t. cider vinegar
Add the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer.
Combine the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.
With the paddle attached, slowly add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients.
Once all ingredients are incorporated, change to the dough hook and beat the dough until very smooth, about 10 minutes.
Coat the dough with oil, wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 to 120 minutes before using or freeze the dough and let thaw completely before use.
I froze mine for a week and then let it thaw for several hours before rolling out.
I pinched off about a golf ball size of dough and rolled it through the pasta roller several times starting with the thickest setting and ending on the thinest setting.
I laid the rolled dough on lightly floured sheets of parchment and layered the parchment and phyllo dough as I went until all the dough was rolled out.
Baklava Filling
1 1/2 c. roasted pecans
1/3 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
Combine these ingredients in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground.
Set aside.
Baklava Syrup
3/4 c. honey
3/4 c. water
3/4 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/3 small organic lemon
Combine all ingredients together in a medium saucepan on medium high heat.
Boil for 10 minutes and remove from heat and let cool until needed.
Assembling the Baklava
In preparation for assembly have the following items ready;
rolled phyllo dough
filling
syrup
1/2 c. melted butter and silicone brush
9 x 5 baking pan
On a floured surface, lay out one piece of rolled dough. Brush with melted butter.
To one of the short ends, add 2 T. of filling and roll over.
Brush with butter and roll again.
Add 1 to 2 more T. filling and roll again.
Brush with butter, roll and brush with butter.
Continue this way until the piece of dough is completely rolled up.
Gently place roll in buttered baking pan.
Do all rolls this way, fitting them snugly in the pan.
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from oven and carefully pour the syrup over the rolls.
It will appear like the rolls are swimming in syrup but let them sit overnight and when you wake up the syrup will be absorbed into the rolls.
I stored mine for a week at room temperature and they still tasted great.
June 27, 2011This entry was posted in Daring Bakers Challenges, desserts and tagged baklava, butter, cinnamon, honey, pecans, phyllo dough, sugar.
