Pecan Baklava

I'm baaa-aaack!

And I made baklava!

I love baklava.  Actually, scratch that.  I love this baklava.  I'll take pecans over the traditional walnuts any day.

It's just so yummy.

Don't worry, I'll have plenty of Minnesota stories, pics, etc. up in no time.  But now, to make up for my über-long post about that fantastic cookie dough cake, I'm making this short and sweet - which is basically baklava.  Except for the short part.  It's a pretty long process.

I found this recipe on Food Snots.  It's not traditional, as it uses pecans instead of walnuts.  And don't freak over phyllo dough.  You can find it in the frozen section of your grocery store.  Probably.

This is a very moist baklava - and because it's baklava, it's really sweet.  Translation: perfect for me! :D

Pecan Baklava
REQUIRES CHILLING TIME

Baklava:
1 pound chopped pecans
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
14 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
2 sticks butter, melted

Syrup:
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 tablespoons lemon juice

1. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Combine pecans, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. Important: lay each sheet of phyllo dough out on a flat surface and cover with a piece of wax paper and a moist paper towel to keep them from drying out.
4. Fit a sheet of phyllo dough into the bottom of your prepared pan, tearing off extra dough if necessary.  Brush with melted butter.
5. Fit another sheet on top and brush with melted butter.
6. Sprinkle some of the pecan mixture over that sheet, then top with another sheet and brush with melted butter.  Continue this pattern (2 butter-brushed sheets, pecan mixture), ending with two sheets brushed with butter.
7. Chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
9. Cut into 2-inch squares and drizzle with remaining butter.
10. Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown, then remove from oven.
11. While baking, bring sugar, water, and lemon juice to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce and simmer 20 minutes.
12. Drizzle syrup over hot baklava immediately.  Cool completely on wire rack.  Store at room temperature, covered.

Breaking it down:
Combine chopped pecans, sugar, and cinnamon...

Then lay phyllo sheets spread with butter and that mixture out in the pattern mentioned above.  You'll have 6 layers of pecan mixture and, of course, the 14 phyllo sheets.

Be generous with that butter!

Funny story time: I actually forgot to cut the baklava before it went into the oven.  I realized this about 20 minutes into baking.  So I cut it then.  Follow the recipe, and if it turns out much different, get back to me on it!

And this is what it looks like finished:

Gorgeous.  Eat with a fork.  Sooo sweet and sticky! :)

Have a lovely day!

-JJ