Persian Spiced Baklava Rolls With Orange Blossom Syrup Recipes

PERSIAN SPICED BAKLAVA ROLLS WITH ORANGE BLOSSOM SYRUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 or a little lower if your oven runs hot.
• Combine all the filling ingredients, mix well.
• Butter a 12-by-9-inch or 13-by-9-inch baking pan or 15-by-10-inch jelly roll pan.
• Remove the phyllo from the package and lay it flat on your counter. Cover the phyllo with wax paper or plastic wrap and place a slightly damp cloth over top.
• Remove one sheet of phyllo and place flat on clean, dry counter top, butter as evenly as possible repeat with 3 more sheets of phyllo so there are 4 sheets buttered on top of one another as evenly as possible.
• Place a few large spoonfuls of the mixture along the bottom of the top sheet of phyllo and fold the phyllo on the same end over the mixture. Then butter the edge of the sheet and continue to roll the phyllo as tightly and evenly as possible. Once you get to the end of the sheet, you need to butter the edge as well before closing it. It should now basically be a long thick cigar shape.
• Cut off the uneven ends slightly angled like a slash (but don't throw them away, just throw it into your remaining mixture).
• Cut the roll into 2 inch pieces (slightly angled like a slash). Butter the ends of each before placing on the buttered baking sheet.
• Repeat this same procedure until you have finished using all of the phyllo and mixture.
• Once you have finished rolling the phyllo and placing the rolls, buttered on each end, on your pan, butter the top of each roll. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes (this really depends on your oven; keep in mind that the baklava has to bake slowly at a low heat until GOLDEN BROWN).
• Prepare the syrup noting that either the syrup should be hot and the baklava cool or visa versa when pouring it over top. (I leave the baklava to cool overnight on the counter and make the hot syrup to pour over the cooled baklava in the morning.).
• Mix sugar and water and bring to the boil.
• Add lemon juice and boil for 7 more minutes.
• Remove from heat and add orange blossom water, stir.
• Pour over cooled baklava.
• Allow the baklava to sit for about 20 minutes. Then turn over the individual rolls to allow both sides to soak in the liquid.
• Leave the whole day or over night before serving.
• Enjoy!

MIDDLE EASTERN NUT-FILLED MULTILAYERED PASTRY (BAKLAVA)

Steps:

• 1. To make the syrup: Stir the sugar, water, lemon juice, and if using, the corn syrup, cinnamon sticks, and/or cloves over low heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Stop stirring, increase the heat to medium, and cook until the mixture is slightly syrupy, about 5 minutes (it will register 225 degrees on a candy thermometer). Discard the cinnamon sticks and whole cloves. Let cool.
• 2. To make the filling: Combine all the filling ingredients.
• 3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12-by-9-inch or 13-by-9-inch baking pan or 15-by-10-inch jelly roll pan.
• 4. Place a sheet of phyllo in the prepared pan and lightly brush with butter. Repeat with 7 more sheets. Spread with half of the filling. Top with 8 more sheets, brushing each with butter. Use any torn sheets in the middle layer. Spread with the remaining nut mixture and end with a top layer of 8 sheets, continuing to brush each with butter. Trim any overhanging edges.
• 5. Using a sharp knife, cut 6 equal lengthwise strips (about 1 3/4 inches wide) through the top layer of pastry. Make 1 1/2-inch-wide diagonal cuts across the strips to form diamond shapes.
• 6. Just before baking, lightly sprinkle the top of the pastry with cold water. This inhibits the pastry from curling. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees and bake until golden brown, about 15 additional minutes.
• 7. Cut through the scored lines. Drizzle the cooled syrup slowly over the hot baklava and let cool for at least 4 hours. Cover and store at room temperature for up to 1 week. If the baklava dries out while being stored, drizzle with a little additional hot syrup.
• VARIATIONS
• Instead of brushing each layer of phyllo with butter, cut the unbaked baklava into diamonds all the way through, drizzle with 1 cup vegetable oil, and let stand for 10 minutes before baking.
• Persian Baklava:
• Using the almonds and cardamom in the filling: Omit the lemon juice and cinnamon from the syrup and add 1/4 cup rose water or 1 tablespoon orange blossom water after it has cooled.
• Paklava(Azerbaijani Baklava):
• For the filling, use 2 cups blanched almonds, 2 cups unsalted pistachios, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Crush 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads and let steep in 3 tablespoons of the melted butter for 15 minutes and use to brush the top sheet of phyllo.