Honey: Nature's Wonder Food + 7 Tasty Recipes

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© Silvia Santucci

Baklava

"Baklava" is derived from the Turkish word "baklava" and refers to a rich, sweet dessert made of layers of phyllo dough filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey.

Ingredients (makes about 25 pieces):

• 20 sheets phyllo dough
• 1 cup pistachios
• 1 cup mixed nuts
• 1 cup blanched almonds
• 1/3 cup fine sugar
• 2 tbsp orange blossom water
• 1 tbsp honey
• 7 tbsp melted butter

For the Syrup

• 2/3 cup honey
• 2 tbsp orange blossom water

Instructions:

1. Roast the nuts, almonds, and pistachios in a pan.
2. Place the nut mixture in a food processor and pulse until evenly chopped but not too fine. Transfer to a large bowl, add the sugar, orange blossom water, and honey, and mix well.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the 20 phyllo sheets in half to make 40 sheets.
4. Brush a baking dish (9x13 inches) with melted butter.
5. Place one sheet of phyllo dough in the baking dish and brush with butter. Repeat with the remaining 19 sheets, brushing each layer with butter.
6. Spread the nut mixture evenly over the phyllo layers and press down firmly.
7. Place the remaining 20 sheets of phyllo dough on top, brushing each with butter. Be especially generous with butter on the final sheet.
8. Cut the baklava diagonally from both sides to create diamond shapes.
9. Bake in the lower part of the oven, monitoring regularly, until the baklava is golden brown.
10. Meanwhile, combine the honey and orange blossom water for the syrup in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
11. When the baklava is done, pour the hot syrup over it while it is still hot and let it cool.

Enjoy!