Baklava Fingers

The first time I ate a Baklava, my response was "so sweeetttt". The nutty taste plus crisp filo pastry kept me hooked. I wasn't able to take more than 1/4 of a slice of baklava at one sitting but it was special.

To recreate it at home just seems an impossible feat. Layers of filo pastry + cups of chopped up nuts doesn't seem to appeal to me. It screams "too much work" Until I discover Karen Martini's Baklava fingers recipes. I love the way we can layer the pastry and roll it up like a spring roll-it create the layers without too much work. Everyone knows filo pastry needs tender loving care and mine just seem to tear easily-hence the less I get to handle it, the better. Furthermore, the rolling bit means it is more forgiving.

What I did differently for this recipe however is to reduce the amount of syrup used to soak the baklava so that it is slightly less sweet. As a result, the baklava can be kept for a day or two longer.  And of course, my lovely food processor came in really handy when making the nuts mixture.

I grab this recipe off Better Homes and Gardens Magazine. Quick search on the Internet revealed Karen's video on how she made it. So it's bonus- you can watch it and follow it step by step too.

The hubby said next time, I have to scan ALL my recipes and save it in the computer with backups- just in case I lose this one. You can tell that he like this heaps!

Baklava Fingers

1 1/2 cup of walnuts toasted
1 cup of almonds toasted
50 grams brown sugar
50 grams caster sugar
2-4 tsp of ground cinnamon
2-3 tsp of all spice
150 grams dried figs chopped
375 packet of filo pastry
200 grams of melted butter (but I used around 50grams if not less)
1 egg lightly beaten

Syrup
200 ml water
300 grams caster sugar
3 tbsp honey
3 cinnamon sticks
1 lemon grated zest and juice

Line an oven tray with baking paper. Preheat Oven 180C.  Put sugars, cinnamon and all spice in food processor and process till nuts are coarsely chopped. Transfer into bowl and toss figs through.

Put 1 sheet filo on a clear bench, brush with melted butter, repeat with 3 more sheets. Cut pastry sheets in half vertically the brush edges with butter and egg. Sprinkle around 3 tablespoon or a handful of nuts around each segment, leaving a border around the edges.

Roll segments up like a spring roll. Put logs on trays and brush it with some butter.

Put trays in oven and bake for 20 mins. Cut logs into 4 equal pieces and put on a platter. Drench with syrup. Let it rest for around 2 hours before serving.

To make syrup- put all ingredients in small pan over medium heat. Stiry for 10 minutes or until it is dissolved. Remove and cool.