Orange Flower-Scented Baklava
- For the syrup:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup mild honey
- 1 vanilla bean, split
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon orange flower water
- For the baklava:
- 8 ounces shelled pistachios, plus a few more to garnish
- 8 ounces walnuts
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 pound phyllo dough, thawed and at room temperature
- To make the syrup: Bring the sugar, honey, vanilla bean, and water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stirring occasionally, boil the mixture until it reduces to a slightly syrupy consistency, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and orange flower water and set the syrup aside to cool. Remove the vanilla bean pod when cool.
- To make the baklava: Preheat oven to 350u0b0 F and butter a 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Trim the phyllo sheets so they will fit in the pan.
- In a food processor, coarsely grind the pistachios and walnuts. Add the sugar, spices, and a pinch of salt and pulse to combine.
- Line the pan with one sheet of phyllo dough and brush it with butter, repeat 5 more times. Sprinkle 1/3 of the nut mixture over the top. Top with 6 more sheets of buttered phyllo dough, followed by 1/3 of the nut mixture. Top with 8 sheets phyllo dough, buttering in between each layer. ((Your grand total of sheets: 6 + 6 + 6 + 8.) Brush the top of the phyllo with butter and trim any overhanging edges.
- Use a sharp knife to cut 6 lengthwise strips through the top layer of the dough. Slice each strip diagonally into about 6 diamond shapes.
- Bake the baklava until golden brown and crisp, 45 to 55 minutes. Remove the pan to a rack, and carefully cut through the scored lines. Pour the cooled syrup over the hot baklava. Let sit for a few hours before digging in. Sprinkle with additional chopped pistachios. Store covered, at room temperature for up to one week.
syrup, sugar, honey, vanilla bean, water, lemon juice, orange flower, pistachios, walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, unsalted butter, phyllo
Taken from food52.com/recipes/39541-orange-flower-scented-baklava (may not work)