Baklava - Eastern sweetness with their hands

Baklava is one of those dishes, which the kitchen, the East is a unique phenomenon. As of very simple ingredients can make such a beautiful dessert? Will remove the veil of one of the mysterious mysteries of the East.

When exactly was invented this amazing sweet treat is not known. In one version of this dessert was invented by the chef of Sultan Fatih in the 15th century according cookbook Museum of the Ottoman sultans in the Topkapi Palace, the first "baklava" was prepared in 1453. According to another version of the recipe of baklava was born already in the 8th century BC, also on the territory of modern Turkey. Thus, we can only say that the authorship of the invention dessert belongs to Turkey. Which, by the way, I wonder - is very widely believed that baklava is a Greek dessert. The fact that the Greeks learned the recipe from the Turks, perfected it: they came up with a dough that you can roll out to the thickness of a sheet of paper - Filo pastry. And argue to this day this wonderful country for the right to call baklava their national dish...

But enough history, let's turn to the essence of this magnificent sweets.

Baklava is made from multiple sheets of test paper of a thickness not exceeding 1 mm). The basic ingredients are the dough, honey, walnuts and butter. The principle of cooking is quite simple: the sheets of dough brushed with butter and stacked on top of each other, with each layer of leaves sprinkled Orekhovo-spicy filling.

As baklava is prepared in different countries - Turkey, Greece, Azerbaijan, Armenia and so on, different ways of cooking a lot, and each has its own characteristics. However, the essence in any case the same is the dessert of puff pastry with walnut stuffing and honey syrup.

How to cook baklava

Making baklava at home can not be called simple task, however, and the effort and time spent to create this culinary masterpiece is definitely justified.

We will consider the preparation of baklava on a simple example using the most traditional ingredients.

The first stage of kneading dough for baklava

For the dough you will need: 500 g of flour, 150 ml of milk and cream, 50 g butter, 2 eggs, 5-6 g of dry yeast, 1 tsp. sugar, 1 pinch of salt.

How to prepare the dough for baklava. In the heated milk to pour the sugar with the yeast, stir, allow the yeast to rise. In a separate bowl mix the flour with butter, sour cream and eggs, adding salt. Pour the yeast mixture into the dough, knead it thoroughly dough, then the mass is put on the table, lightly floured, carefully knead a soft dough, then put it in a Cup, cover with a towel and 1.5 hours to leave at room temperature.

The second stage is preparing the filling for baklava

You will need: 250 g butter, walnuts and powdered sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, ? tsp. cardamom, vanilla.

How to make stuffing for baklava. Nuts lightly fry in the oven, then grind in a meat grinder (not blender grind - because it will be too finely), mix powdered sugar and vanilla, add the cinnamon and cardamom. Melt the butter and pour into a separate container.

Third step - make baklava

You will need: 150 g of honey, 90-100 ml of hot water for the syrup, 1 beaten egg and nuts (halves walnuts/almonds or other) for clearance the top of the baklava.

To prepare the form: use better form with high sides, with dimensions of about 20 to 30cm. The form need to pre-coat with vegetable oil.

If you have a form with high sides, take the frying pan.

When the batter is ready, divide it into 12 parts, making one part in 2 times more than the other 11. To take this big piece and roll out thinly with a rolling pin - thickness should be not more than 1 mm, and the dimensions are such that the form was completely covered, and the ends of the dough down, gently wrap the rolled out dough on the rolling pin, transfer the shape to cover its test - edges should hang out. Coat the dough with melted butter (you need to calculate after greasing all layers of baklava oil should be half or a little less).

If during the Assembly of baklava oil will harden and not spreadable, it should be warmed up.

To take one of 11 equal portions of dough, roll out to fit the bottom of the form also of a thickness not exceeding 1 mm (this thickness must have all of the layers of dough), wound on the rolling pin and transfer to a baking sheet, put on a great first layer of dough, oiled.

The second layer of dough should cover only the bottom of the form without having to go over the side.

Brush with 2 layer of dough with butter, sprinkle nut mixture (also calculate that the powder had 10 layers). Roll out another piece of dough, put it on the 2nd layer, grease and sprinkle thus line 10 layers, including the first large.

11-th piece of dough to roll out and put it on the 10th, oil. Cut the hanging edge layer 1, leaving 1-2 cm, tighten them so that they covered the 11-th layer of dough, cover with these tucked the edges with beaten egg. Roll the 12-th piece of dough, put it on the 11th, on the entire surface to cover the egg.

Diagonally cut the baklava is not until the end (otherwise the syrup will seep to the bottom of the form and foothills) on the diamonds in the center of each diamond to put on half of a walnut, pressing lightly, to give time for 15 minutes, then put the form in a preheated 180 degree oven.

Bake for 15 minutes, strain, pour the butter that is left after lubricating layers (the oil should go in the cuts, so if they were glued together, cut them with a knife again), put in the oven and bake until light Browning.

Mix honey with hot water and pour this syrup over the baklava (also making sure he got in cuts), when it begins to zarumyanyatsya. Syrup need not all (about one third) - nor should it be watered too much. Again put the form in the oven and let the baklava is good to zarumyanitsya to brownish hue. After baking allow the baklava to cool down, to get the diamonds and dip each top and bottom side in the remaining syrup for 2-3 seconds. Before serving, allow the baklava to stand for 15-20 minutes for full impregnation syrup.

This simple recipe to cook baklava can even inexperienced mistress. There are, of course, and other recipes - the subtleties of cooking this dessert has every region in which it is prepared. However, we will not describe all possible variants and alternatively, here is the recipe for lazy baklava, which can be prepared from ready-made puff pastry.

Recipe "lazy baklava" puff pastry

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You will need: 800 g frozen puff pastry yeast-free, 200 g of honey, 100 grams of butter and sugar, 1 egg yolk, 2 cups of walnuts, 1 tbsp. of powdered sugar and cinnamon.

How to cook quick baklava. Grind nuts, stir with cinnamon and powdered sugar. The dough is thawed, cut into 6-8 equal pieces and roll each as thin as possible. Take a rectangular or square shape with high sides, brush with butter or vegetable oil, put 2 layers of dough, brushing them with butter. The second layer sprinkle with walnut stuffing, cover with a third layer of dough, brush with butter, sprinkle with nuts - put thus all layers. The last layer is not sprinkle nuts and not oil - it needs to be coated with the egg yolk. Cut the dough into diamonds diagonally, bake baklava 45 minutes in a preheated 180 degree oven. Ready baklava to let cool slightly. For the syrup, bring to boil 0.3 cups of water, add sugar, boil 5 min, put the honey and cook for 7 minutes, pour over baklava syrup, making sure that he got into the cuts. It is best to give the baklava 7-8 hours to stand at room temperature to soak.

Such an amazing Eastern mystery as baklava has proven to be quite simple dessert, it is said that everything of genius is simple! Connect such simple products as thin crust, tasty nuts, honey and spices, and will make a real Eastern delicacy, its alluring taste and aroma and charm all who feel its taste and touch to this attractive secret!