Baklava questions...

15 years ago

It's been YEARS since I've made this! I'm gonna dig out the recipe from my Aunt Diana, who was born and raised in Greece. If I can't find it, I noticed a few recipes and links on this forum. Oh yum!

Aunt Diana pronounces baklava with an accent on the middle syllable--bach LA va -- but there are plenty other folks who put the accent on the first syllable, and some with a soft accent on the first and last syllables. Any experts on pronunciation here???

Anyway, I have a few more questions:

Can I make this ahead of time and freeze it before I bake it?

If I bake it and pour on the sauce, can I freeze it after it cools?

Can I leave it out at room temperature (covered?) for a day or two--if proper warnings are all around it so no one eats it, of course!

I've always cut it before I baked it, but some recipes recommend cutting it BUT NOT all the way down to the bottom of the pan. I've never had any problem cutting it all the way down, and the sauce gets all the way in between all the layers anyway. I love the sound of pouring the warm, barely simmering sauce over the baklava a few minutes after I pull the pan right out of the oven! Oh, heaven is a little nearer, indeed!

Thanks for any help!

Smiles,

Sooz

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Comments (4)

sffog
15 years ago
just made some for thanksgiving, i froze it after baking and after the syrup, cool then freeze, so i just take it out of the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator,not as crispy though, although nothing beats fresh, you can leave it out for a 2-3 days with no problem actually i like it better than the previously frozen one, you are right cutting before baking gets the syrup in between. the reason i freeze some is so i have some to nibble at when i start craving baklava, i have been know to eat a half tray if i leave it out, so i "hide"it in the freezer.yumm
Solsthumper
15 years ago
For the life of me, I cannot remember how my Syrian grandmother pronounced Baklava. All I remember is how wonderful it was.

I make Baklava every Christmas, about one week ahead of time. I usually double it because it seems I have ghosts who make it disappear, when I'm not looking.

The honey syrup will keep Baklava fresh for several weeksÃ¯Â¿Â½"tightly-wrappedÃ¯Â¿Â½"at room temperature.

Sol
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Valerie, after looking at the Pioneer Woman's post on baklava, I think I can see a couple of reasons why you may have had difficulty with the cutting. First of all, of course, is not using enough butter -- between each sheet of fillo and especially on the top layer and around the sides and corners. The melted butter starts to immediately solidify a bit, so it keeps all the sheets intact and together, providing an easier surface for cutting. Secondly, I think there aren't enough layers of fillo on the top. That makes the top section thinner and harder to keep together. Also, I noticed that the nuts were coarsely chopped rather than ground or finely chopped. My mom and grandmother would always use one of those old fashioned metal hand cranked grinders for preparing the nuts for bakalva. With a thin layer of fillo on top and a bumpy layer of nuts underneath, I can see that it might be difficult to get nicely cut pieces. Finally, my mother & grandmother always divided the nuts into 2-3 sections, each separated by a few sheets of fillo. So we didn't have to cut through a single thick layer of nuts. Having the nuts more finely ground and separated into layers makes it easier to cut. I like to bake my baklava until it is a fairly deep golden shade. I really dislike the super pale, almost undercooked baklava I sometimes get at restaurants. I find that with the many layers of top fillo, the baklava stays crispy/sticky on top and sticky/moist on the bottom. To me, it's a perfect combination of textures. I don't care for dry baklava. And I really do not like baklava made with a sugar syrup. But that's because my grandmother was adamant about using all honey. She always felt that was what distinguished her baklava from other recipes.
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shambo
15 years ago
My family always pronouced it with the emphasis on the last syllable -- bak - la - VA.

I agree with Sol, with all that honey syrup, the baklava keeps well for several weeks even at room temperature. However, if you're worried, you can refrigerate it after a week. That is one advantage to making this particular sweet; it can be made ahead of time and does not suffer in taste or texture. Just be sure it is completely cooled and let it air out a bit before covering it tightly with plastic wrap. You do not want any condensation to form. I am another one who cuts all the way through. To me, that is what makes baklava so much easier than spanakopita where you just score the top fillo layers.
sooz
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks, everyone, for the answers. Gosh, this stuff IS good for nibbling, isn't it? That could be why I haven't made it in years--I could really do some damage, ha ha!

Baklava questions...

Comments (4)

sffog

Solsthumper

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sooz
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Baklava questions...

Comments (4)

sffog

Solsthumper

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shambo

soozOriginal Author

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sooz
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