There are few things in life that I relish quite like a piece of baklava and a cup of hot, Syrian tea. Allow me a pause. Mmmmmm. But making baklava is a chore and there are only a couple of places in my town that make it. Does that mean it's a rare treat? Not exactly.
This month's recipe is for a simple dessert that emulates baklava fairly well. What's more, you can put it together without pulling your hair out! And it's fantastic with the above mentioned Syrian tea. It just helps to make my life complete. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
As always, I encourage you to share your recipe ideas and comments. You can always post comments using the forms provided in the articles or email me directly at . Enjoy!
Easy Baklava Bars
- 1 package (1 lb. 1.5 oz.) sugar cookie mix
- 1/2 c. butter softened
- 1/4 tsp. powdered lemon peel
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 c. chopped walnuts
- 1/3 c. sugar
- 1/4 c. butter, softened
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 9 frozen mini filo shells
- 1/3 c. honey
- 2 T. butter, softened
- 1 T. packed brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the crust and stir until a soft dough forms. Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, while the crust is in the oven, combine all of the filling ingredients except the mini filo shells. Sprinkle the filling evenly over the partially baked crust. With your hands, crumble the mini filo shells evenly over the nut mixture. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown.
While that bakes, combine the glaze ingredients in a small microwavable bowl. Cook, uncovered, on high for 1 minute or until bubbly. Drizzle the mixture over the top of the filo layer and allow to cool completely before cutting.
Carefully cut the bars into triangles and serve with a little honey drizzled over the top, if desired.
- Yields: About 2 dozen bars
- Preparation Time: 50 minutes, plus cooling time