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.
Once done, the cake should be cut to diamond shapes or cubes, using a sharp knife. Finishing layer needs to be sprinkled with water. Bake in preheated oven for approximately half an hour, on 180 degrees. Sugar syrup should be cooled and poured over hot cake. Few hours later, your cake is ready to be served.
It is possible to use any type of nuts, and you can make interesting combinations if you combine pistachios and almonds, for example. Cup or two of finely chopped dry fruits, such as dates, are also very nice addition to your filling. Raisins, figs and dry apricots taste very nicely combined with hazelnuts, for example, especially if you add cloves and cardamom.
You can add different spices into your syrup as well. Orange zest, cardamom and cloves are often added, but you can also add some rum, lime instead of lemon, some vanilla or any other mixture of spices. It is always quite tasty to replace at least one part of needed sugar with some honey, but it depends on your taste. Add your favorite spices in it.
Chocolate is always interesting. Make the cake on your usual way. When your sugar syrup is prepared, melt some chocolate in it, maybe two hundred grams or so. Add orange zest and replace lemon with orange juice. Use your favorite spices. Cinnamon goes very well with chocolate, as well as vanilla. Pour warm syrup over hot cake and leave it to cool completely. You won't be disappointed with this version.
Another really delicious version includes two cups of ground almonds, two cups finely chopped almonds and two cups of finely chopped apricots. The preparation is the same, but you can add some apricot liqueur in your syrup, together with some vanilla and lime or orange juice. Very interesting combination you will surely enjoy in.
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.
Once done, the cake should be cut to diamond shapes or cubes, using a sharp knife. Finishing layer needs to be sprinkled with water. Bake in preheated oven for approximately half an hour, on 180 degrees. Sugar syrup should be cooled and poured over hot cake. Few hours later, your cake is ready to be served.
It is possible to use any type of nuts, and you can make interesting combinations if you combine pistachios and almonds, for example. Cup or two of finely chopped dry fruits, such as dates, are also very nice addition to your filling. Raisins, figs and dry apricots taste very nicely combined with hazelnuts, for example, especially if you add cloves and cardamom.
You can add different spices into your syrup as well. Orange zest, cardamom and cloves are often added, but you can also add some rum, lime instead of lemon, some vanilla or any other mixture of spices. It is always quite tasty to replace at least one part of needed sugar with some honey, but it depends on your taste. Add your favorite spices in it.
Chocolate is always interesting. Make the cake on your usual way. When your sugar syrup is prepared, melt some chocolate in it, maybe two hundred grams or so. Add orange zest and replace lemon with orange juice. Use your favorite spices. Cinnamon goes very well with chocolate, as well as vanilla. Pour warm syrup over hot cake and leave it to cool completely. You won't be disappointed with this version.
Another really delicious version includes two cups of ground almonds, two cups finely chopped almonds and two cups of finely chopped apricots. The preparation is the same, but you can add some apricot liqueur in your syrup, together with some vanilla and lime or orange juice. Very interesting combination you will surely enjoy in.
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