Orange and Date Baklava
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon orange flower water
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups whole pitted dates
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 12 sheets fresh phyllo pastry or frozen, thawed (each about 18 x 14 inches)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- Stir first 3 ingredients in small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves.
- Increase heat; boil 1 minute.
- Remove from heat.
- Mix in honey, orange flower water and almond extract.
- Cool.
- Combine first 4 ingredients in processor.
- Using on/off turns, process until dates are minced.
- Add juice; process until coarse paste forms.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Mix sugar and cinnamon.
- Stack phyllo on work surface.
- Using bottom of 8 x 8 x 2-inch pan as guide, cut out two 8-inch-square stacks, making 24 squares.
- Butter inside of same pan.
- Place 2 phyllo squares in pan.
- Brush with butter; sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon sugar.
- Repeat layering of phyllo squares (2 at a time), butter and sugar 4 more times (a total of 10 phyllo squares).
- Spread half of filling over.
- Top with 2 phyllo squares.
- Brush with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Repeat with 2 more squares, butter and sugar.
- Spread with remaining filling.
- Layer 10 squares (2 at a time) over filling, brushing with butter and sprinkling with sugar.
- Using knife, score top into 16 squares (do not cut through to filling).
- Bake baklava until deep golden, about 30 minutes.
- Cut through scored lines to bottom of pan.
- Spoon cool syrup over hot baklava.
- Cool.
- (Can be made 1 day ahead.
- Cover.
- Let stand at room temperature.)
sugar, water, lemon juice, honey, orange flower, almond extract, dates, sugar, ground cinnamon, orange juice, sugar, ground cinnamon, phyllo pastry, unsalted butter
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/orange-and-date-baklava-4664 (may not work)