Exquisite and Addictive Rolled Baklava Cookies

Lutie's Note:

Baklava in another fashion. This rolled version is quicker, easier, and takes much less time than you would think... something simple, yet elegant. It is fun to make with your teens or friends on a week-end. Basically, I took my baklava recipe and made it simpler. There are just a few steps, but they are repeated over and over. Melted butter is used along with oil in a spray can to hurry it along. You may use walnuts, pecans, almonds, pistachios, or a combination. Whatever is your nut of choice, make sure you use good honey, pure cane sugar (do not skimp on your sugar, it makes a taste difference), and quality butter. Margarine has no place in baking. Do not pour the honey mixture over the hot cookies; wait until they are cool. If not, the cookies will get soggy. These are great any time of the year and look great when served in paper cups. I usually double the recipe as we usually eat them before they can even be put into the paper cups!

• Total Time: 54 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 24 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1 lb phyllo dough (I use the Athens brand)
• 1 cup butter, but use the spray oil if you choose
• 5 cups ground walnuts or 5 cups ground pecans or 5 cups ground pistachios (or a combination) or 5 cups almonds (or a combination)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• raw sugar, to sprinkle on cookie tops (turbinado)

Syrup

• 1 1/2 cups honey
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon of grated lemon rind

Directions:

1. Spread out one sheet of phyllo dough.
2. Keep the other sheets covered with a damp towel to prevent from drying and becoming brittle.
3. Lightly brush with butter or spray the oil.
4. Place another sheet of phyllo dough on top of the first sheet.
5. Brush 2nd sheet with butter or oil and sprinkle the nut, sugar, and cinnamon filling lightly over whole sheet.
6. Place a third sheet of phyllo dough over first two sheets.
7. Brush with butter or oil and lightly sprinkle nut filling again.
8. Roll the 3 sheets up tightly as you would a cigar or jellyroll.
9. Slice diagonally into 1 or 2 inch pieces and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet with sides *make sure you have sides on your cookie sheet (aka "jelly roll pan").
10. Repeat until all the phyllo dough and filling have been used, using three sheets for each roll.
11. Brush tops of baklava pieces with melted butter and sprinkle with raw (turbinado) sugar.
12. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
13. Remove from oven to cool. Leave in pan.
14. In a saucepan heat the honey, sugar, water, and lemon rind together and bring to a boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
15. Pour over cooled baklava pieces. You may have to turn them once to make sure they are completely saturated with the syrup.
16. Let them stay in pan long enough to absorb the syrup.
17. Eat and then serve what is left; or serve and eat. It is your choice, but I guarantee there will never be any left!
18. Cover and refrigerate. These can be frozen.

Reviews

[BonnieZ]

I was very disappointed in this recipe. First the method is anything but quicker than the traditional baklava. Secondly I found the syrup to be overbearingly sweet dispite the quality ingredients I used. I also found that pouring the hot syrup over the cooled cookies made the cookies soggy. Sorry Lutie, but I will stay with more traditional baklava recipes.