Orange Pecan Baklava Recipes

CHIPOTLE-ORANGE BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a food processor, combine the first 5 ingredients; pulse until walnuts are finely chopped. Brush a 13x9-in. baking pan with some of the butter. Unroll phyllo dough; trim to fit into pan., Layer 3 sheets of phyllo in prepared pan, brushing each with butter. Cover the remaining phyllo with a damp towel to prevent drying. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup walnut mixture. Repeat layers 11 times. Top with remaining phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter., Cut into 36 triangles. Bake until golden brown, 35-40 minutes., Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine syrup ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally., Strain syrup through a fine mesh strainer; discard chiles and cinnamon sticks. Pour over warm baklava. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and let stand several hours or overnight.

PECAN-ORANGE BAKLAVA PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring honey, cinnamon sticks, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup water to a boil in medium heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and continue to boil until syrup is reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, 15-18 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, stir in bourbon, and let cool.
• Meanwhile, spread pecans on large rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden brown, 13-15 minutes. Let cool. Transfer nuts to a food processor. Add ground cinnamon, 1 tsp. orange zest, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar and pulse until coarsely chopped.
• Place stack of phyllo sheets on a work surface. Keep any phyllo you're not currently working with covered under a layer of plastic wrap topped with a slightly damp kitchen towel. Using base of springform pan as a guide, and starting at edge of phyllo, carefully cut out 20 (9") circles, leaving as much phyllo remaining as possible. Cover phyllo circles. Using base of pan as a guide, cut remaining phyllo into 20 (4 1/2") half-circles.
• Insert base into pan and secure the latch. Brush base with butter. Place 1 phyllo circle in pan and brush generously with butter. Top with 2 half-circles to create a full circle, brush with butter. Top with full circle, brush again. Top with 2 more half-circles at a 90° angle from the first half-circle layer, brush with butter. Top with a full circle, and brush again. You should have 5 layers of pastry (full circle - half-circles - full circle - half circles - full circle), with butter spread between each layer. Spread one-fifth of nut mixture over phyllo. Repeat layering 4 more times. Top with the 5 remaining phyllo circles; brush top with butter.
• Using a sharp knife, score the top layer (do not cut through to bottom of pan) to divide into 4 quadrants. Working with 1 quadrant at a time, make 1 straight cut to divide the quadrant into 2 even wedges. Make 4 more straight cuts (2 each on either side of, and parallel to the quadrant division line), spacing evenly apart. Now working within each wedge, make 2 evenly-spaced cuts parallel to the outside edge of the quadrant, connecting at points with the previous cuts to form a diamond pattern. Repeat with the remaining quadrants to create a starburst pattern. Transfer pan to a rimmed baking sheet and bake until phyllo is golden brown, about 45 minutes.
• Spoon cooled syrup over hot baklava in 4 additions. Place orange curls on top. Let cool completely in pan. Remove springform ring and cut baklava along the scored lines.
• Do Ahead
• Syrup can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Baklava can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.

BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Remove the thawed phyllo from the fridge 1 hour before using. When working with the phyllo dough, only remove the sheets you immediately need, keeping the other sheets covered in plastic wrap, then a damp cloth.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) of the butter in a small saucepan.
• Toss together the chopped pecans and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.
• Thoroughly butter a rectangular baking pan with the melted butter. Make sure the sheets of phyllo will generally fit in the pan. (If they're a little bigger, that's okay; if they're much bigger, just trim them with a sharp knife.)
• Butter the top sheet of phyllo with melted butter, then grab it and the unbuttered sheet below it. Flip the sheets over and set them in the pan buttered-side down. Press them lightly into the pan. Repeat this twice more, so that you have 6 sheets of phyllo in the pan, 3 of the sheets buttered.
• Sprinkle on enough pecans to make a single layer. Butter 2 sheets of phyllo and place them on top of the pecans buttered-sides down. Add more pecans, then 2 more buttered phyllo sheets. Repeat this a couple more times, or until you're out of pecans. Top with 4 more buttered phyllo sheets, buttered-sides down. Butter the top of the final sheet.
• Cut a diagonal diamond pattern in the baklava using a very sharp knife. Bake until very golden brown, about 45 minutes.
• While the baklava is baking, combine the honey, sugar, vanilla, 1/2 cup water and the remaining 1 stick butter in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
• When you remove the baklava from the oven, drizzle half of the honey mixture evenly all over the top. Allow it to sit and absorb for a minute, then drizzle on a little more until you think it's thoroughly moistened. You'll likely have some of the honey mixture leftover, which you can drink with a straw. Just kidding.
• Allow the baklava to cool, uncovered, for several hours. Once cool and sticky and divine, carefully remove from the pan and serve with coffee (or give as gifts!).

GREEK PECAN BAKLAVA

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine 2 cups sugar, 1 cup water, liquid honey, brandy, lemon juice and cinnamon stick; bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly, boil for about 1 minute (or until the sugar is completely dissolved) then remove from heat; cool syrup COMPLETELY.
• In another bowl toss the chopped pecans with 1 cup sugar, cinnamon and cloves.
• Brush 2 (13 x 9-inch) baking pans with melted butter.
• Place 8 phyllo sheets in 1 pan, brushing EACH sheet with melted butter, then top with 2 cups pecan mixture.
• Place 3 phyllo sheets over the pecan mixture, brushing each sheet with melted butter, then top with 2 cups of pecan mixture.
• Repeat with 3 more phyllo sheets and then 2 cups pecan mixture.
• Top with 6 phyllo sheets, brushing all but the top sheet with melted butter.
• Repeat the procedure with remaining phyllo sheets and the pecan mixture for the second pan.
• Using a sharp knife cut layers diagonally into 3/4-inch diamonds; gently brush with remaining butter.
• Insert a clove in the center of each diamond.
• Bake in a 300°F oven for 1 hour.
• Remove from the oven and pour the prepared reserved syrup evenly over the baked baklava.
• Cool completely in the pans on wire racks.
• When cooled cut again diagonally; remove from pans and store in airtight containers at room temperature.