Apricot Baklava

CoolMonday's Note:

This is my first attempt at working with Filo and I ruined a couple of sheets before getting the hang of it. I wanted to do a dessert and this seemed like a natural. I actually made 4 different flavors but the one everyone liked the best is the one I will post. 1. vanilla 2. vanilla and brown sugar 3. coconut 4. coconut and brown sugar. The apricot flavored white wine I used was Fetzer's Gewurztraminer. uh huh, uh huh...... For white sugar, I use bakers sugar - it's a little finer and dissolves faster. Time does not include soaking raisins.

• Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 25

• 1 cup raisins (light or dark)
• 1/4 cup apricot flavored white wine
• 1 1/2 cups dried apricots, pressed down
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon white wine (from raisins)
• 1 cup cashews (chopped roughly)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 20 filo pastry (buy frozen and thaw before using)
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

SYRUP

• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup water, reserved from apricots soak or 1/4 cup canned apricot nectar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon wine, from raisins soak

Directions:

1. Warm 3/4 cup wine in saucepan and remove from heat
2. Add raisins and soak for 2 - 4 hours
3. Put apricots in saucepan and cover with water
4. Bring to boil and simmer for 40-45 minutes till very tender
5. Drain and reserve liquid if any left
6. Process apricots in food processor or mash till smooth
7. Put in large bowl
8. Add drained raisins, reserving the wine
9. Mix in white sugar, cinnamon, 1/2 tsp wine (from the raisins), vanilla, brown sugar
10. Allow to cool
11. Mix in cashews
12. Butter a 13X9X2 baking pan
13. Open filo sheets and cut to size of pan
14. Process one at a time keeping the rest covered
15. Brush butter on top of one sheet and place in pan
16. Repeat with 10 sheets one at a time and layer them in pan
17. Cover last sheet with apricot mixture
18. Cover with the next 10 filo sheets buttering each one as before
19. Slice through the top layers diagonally to create diamonds
20. Bake at 350 for 40 - 45 minutes till brown on top
21. Put on rack to cool before adding syrup
22. SYRUP
23. In saucepan mix honey, water, nectar (reserved from apricots), sugar, vanilla and wine (from the raisins)
24. Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes
25. Allow to cool completely
26. Drizzle on Baklava
27. Cover and cool for several hours
28. Best if cooled overnight

Reviews

[Ya Ya Sister]

VERY IMPRESSED with this. I omitted the white sugar, used fresh walnuts instead of cashews and instead of the sugar and water for the syrup, I blended a can of apricots in their own juice. OH MY GOSH - was it DIVINE and my guests all went back for seconds. Will be adding this to my favourites list. Thanks for sharing this recipe :)

[Laureen in B.C.]

I served these at a Cocktail party last night, great flavor. I will make them again. Thanks

[yaya78006]

Nice adaptation to the traditional baklava.