When you crave for something really moist and sweet, try this traditional eastern specialty. Once, the great part of Europe was part of Ottoman Empire. In these parts, baklava is still prepared and served in all special occasions. It is made of nuts, sugar and layers of very thin pastry called phillo or filo, with the addition of spices such as cinnamon, cardamom and cloves, refreshed with some lemon juice.
Phillo sheets should be sized to fit your pan. For making one rich cake maybe twenty sheets are needed. Every sheet should be coated with oil or with melted butter. You should place three to four coated sheets in your pan first, and then sprinkle everything with coarsely ground or finely chopped nuts adding a small spoon of cinnamon and some other spices of your choice.
Sugar syrup is easy to prepare. One and half cups of water and three cups of sugar should be cooked until syrupy, with some cinnamon and lemon juice. Replace some sugar with honey if you want. You may add cloves, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla and other spices of your choice.
When you are finished with layering filo and filling, you should cut your cake into cubes or into diamond shapes. Sprinkle the top with some cold water. Bake for thirty to thirty five minutes on 180 degrees of Celsius. Once the cake is done, pour cooled syrup over it and let it cool for few hours.
Although walnuts, pistachios and hazelnuts are mostly used for this purpose, you may use almonds, macadamia nuts or any other type of nuts. In some parts of the world they add dry fruits, for example apricots or dates as well. They generally use four cups of nuts for filling, but it is nice to add more filling, if you prefer richer cakes. Cloves and cardamom taste very nice in these combinations.
Replacing lemon juice with orange juice is also really interesting. Add vanilla, orange zest, lime or some other spices. In various parts of Asia they often replace sugar with honey, or use them together. Use your imagination to create combinations that will satisfy your palate. It is simple and really funny.
Chocolate version is especially tasty. The procedure is the same, the only difference is in syrup. You should make the syrup without lemon juice, remove it from the heat and melt 200 grams of good chocolate in it. Don't forget to add some cinnamon, or a little bit of vanilla. Don't add lemon juice in this version, orange works better with chocolate. Pour this mixture over your baked cake and leave it to cool.
One very tasty and aromatic version of this cake include almonds or hazelnuts and one or two cups of finely chopped dried apricots. You can prepare it as you would usually do, but you could also replace lemon juice with orange juice and add a small amount of apricot liqueur in sugar syrup, to make it even more appealing. This really is delicious and perfectly aromatic.
Phillo sheets should be sized to fit your pan. For making one rich cake maybe twenty sheets are needed. Every sheet should be coated with oil or with melted butter. You should place three to four coated sheets in your pan first, and then sprinkle everything with coarsely ground or finely chopped nuts adding a small spoon of cinnamon and some other spices of your choice.
Sugar syrup is easy to prepare. One and half cups of water and three cups of sugar should be cooked until syrupy, with some cinnamon and lemon juice. Replace some sugar with honey if you want. You may add cloves, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla and other spices of your choice.
When you are finished with layering filo and filling, you should cut your cake into cubes or into diamond shapes. Sprinkle the top with some cold water. Bake for thirty to thirty five minutes on 180 degrees of Celsius. Once the cake is done, pour cooled syrup over it and let it cool for few hours.
Although walnuts, pistachios and hazelnuts are mostly used for this purpose, you may use almonds, macadamia nuts or any other type of nuts. In some parts of the world they add dry fruits, for example apricots or dates as well. They generally use four cups of nuts for filling, but it is nice to add more filling, if you prefer richer cakes. Cloves and cardamom taste very nice in these combinations.
Replacing lemon juice with orange juice is also really interesting. Add vanilla, orange zest, lime or some other spices. In various parts of Asia they often replace sugar with honey, or use them together. Use your imagination to create combinations that will satisfy your palate. It is simple and really funny.
Chocolate version is especially tasty. The procedure is the same, the only difference is in syrup. You should make the syrup without lemon juice, remove it from the heat and melt 200 grams of good chocolate in it. Don't forget to add some cinnamon, or a little bit of vanilla. Don't add lemon juice in this version, orange works better with chocolate. Pour this mixture over your baked cake and leave it to cool.
One very tasty and aromatic version of this cake include almonds or hazelnuts and one or two cups of finely chopped dried apricots. You can prepare it as you would usually do, but you could also replace lemon juice with orange juice and add a small amount of apricot liqueur in sugar syrup, to make it even more appealing. This really is delicious and perfectly aromatic.
