Baklava — Tiny Treat

What is it about a snow day that makes us have weird food cravings? Is it because we all know that calories don’t count on snow days? Is it because we are stuck in the house and let’s face it any chores that haven’t been tackled during a year-long pandemic just aren’t going to get done? Or do we just feel like we deserve a treat? Most likely all of the above, but for whatever reason I was overcome with a craving for baklava.

As you are all quite aware, we were iced and snowed in this past week. Nipping out to the grocery was not a possibility and although I pride myself on the ability to keep a well-stocked kitchen, it did not extend to sheets of Filo dough. But I had the next best thing – those little Filo shells. They are almost always in the freezer because of the handy convenience of instant appetizers – a little brie and pepper jelly, a spoon full of chicken salad, the possibilities are endless. And so those would be the basis for a new creation “Mini Baklava”!

We had plenty of nuts on hand, a combo of almonds, walnuts, and pecans quickly roasted made up the filling. Everyone knows that the very best part of baklava is the delicious sweet and sticky honey syrup and honey is something we beekeepers always have. Last year’s harvest was particularly marvelous, and it made these tiny pastries especially good.

The recipe is a cinch. The whole project took less than 20 minutes and that included roasting the nuts.

The slightly cooled nuts are combined in the food processor with butter, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon zest. The filling is stuffed in the Filo shells and baked for about 10 minutes while the syrup cooks. Next hot syrup gets poured over hot baklava. Divine! When they are cool enough take a bite and be prepared for one of the most delightful little treats imaginable. There is none of that mess with layers of dough and melting butter, no sticky messy pans to clean, just pure pleasure.

If your pantry doesn’t have everything you need right now maybe as soon as you feel “thawed” enough to venture out, you can grab the ingredients to make a batch of mini baklava.

I am certain that you can’t eat just one. Enjoy!

Mini Baklava

Ingredients

½ cup each walnuts, almonds, and pecans

Zest of 1 lemon

2 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp sugar plus ¼ cup

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp salt

½ tsp vanilla

2 boxes filo shells (15 per box)

1/3  cup honey

½ cup water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Toast nuts in the oven for 8-10 minutes and allow to cool slightly.

Add nuts, lemon zest, sugar, 3 Tbsp butter, cinnamon, salt and vanilla to a food processor and pulse to combine.

Place mini filo cups in the wells of a mini muffin pan and add filling.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

While the baklava bakes make syrup by combining sugar, honey, and water and simmering until slightly thick 8-10 minutes.

Pour about 1 tsp of syrup over each baklava and allow to cool.