Baklava w/special challenges

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blissful

Master Chef
Joined
Mar 25, 2008
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I read probably 20 recipes yesterday baklava. This is what I want to do.
And this I'd call a Honey'd Baklava.

What I want is a baklava that uses 100% honey instead of the sugar/honey/water syrup. For a 1 lb phillo dough recipe, 1.5 cups of honey (weight of 12 oz of honey) are a good replacement to the honey/water/sugar syrup. Experience, comments?
(this is for the bee keepers)

I don't want a soggy bottom to it. From reading a few recipes, it said that when scoring the baklava, don't score through the bottom, that way the syrup/honey will not 'wet' the bottom layer. Instead, cut through the bottom after pouring syrup/honey after it all cools. That seems to make sense to me as oil is a barrier to the honey.
Also, I want to mention that many recipe remark to pour HOT syrup onto a cold baklava or a Cold syrup to a hot baklava, to get the best results of it soaking into the layers. Comments, experience?

I want to replace the butter/ghee and use an oil that has no cholesterol in it. (heart health-no comments needed on why.) I'm considering sunflower cold pressed oil from a company in georgia. I have a measurement of 1 cup of butter (or ghee), but I don't believe I'd actually use a full cup of oil in brushing it on the phyllo dough. I don't have experience on this at all.
Comments, experience?

It needs the flavors of cardamom, cinnamon, a little pistachio and the rest is walnut and honey.
The flavors of cinnamon and cardamom are added to the walnuts/pistachios mixed.
Should I consider having orange rind for an added flavor? Comments or experience?

The configuration in a 9x13 inch pan of the phyllo dough is:
Bottom: 10 layers of phyllo dough, alternate layers have butter on them. (10)
Middle: 6 layers with 2 phyllo dough, oil on alternate layers. (12) (1/2 cup nuts between layers)
Top: 8 layers of phyllo dough, alternate layers have oil on them. (8)
brand: Athen's phyllo has 40 sheets, they need to be trimmed to 9x13 from 9x14.

Any comments or questions I should consider on the configuration of the layers?

I used to make it 20 years ago, using a sugar/honey syrup, a half sheet pan size, chocolate walnut was one flavor, I sold it for $60 a pan, now it would be much more!

Any baklava stories to share. I once met a guy from alaska, I was talking about baklava and he said 'oh you mean balaclava'? No a baklava. Craziness ensued. lol
71zlaU8aRXL._AC_SY741_.jpg
 
Where to start?
I would brush EVERY layer with whatever fat you are using. It will promote more separation of the layers and therefore more crispiness.
You can do one or two layers of nuts. Lay 13 sheets then half the nuts, then 13 more sheets and the rest of the nuts then the remaining 14 sheets. I sometimes do three layers of nuts. My neice-in-law adds nuts to each sheet.
Don't bother trimming the phyllo sheets. It's OK if they run up the sides a little. Some recipes tell you do that on purpose.
I'm not sure if partially cutting through the layers to the bottom is the best solution. You could consider using less honey. Also, What I do is remove a corner piece or two and tip the pan so excess liquid runs into the corner where it can be removed rather than remaining behind to sog up the bottom.
Both the honey and the baked phyllo should be at room temperature when you add the honey.
Here's a photo of my finished product. Not soggy.

Photo - 1.jpeg
 
@Andy, I do like the look of it! It is very orderly looking.

I have considered using less honey. Some will pour fast comparted to some that will pour very slowly.
The way I usually put the sugar/syrup/honey in, is room temperature, into a just removed from the oven hot baklava. That would make it boil as it hits the hot baklava, sizzle sizzle and bubble up.
 
In the three times that I have made baklava, I did coat every single layer as Andy suggested. In regards to using honey, I found this which sounds like it could work:

To replace sugar with honey in recipes, use about 3/4 cup of honey for every cup of sugar, and reduce the liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup for each cup of honey used. Additionally, lower the oven temperature by 25°F to prevent over-browning.
 
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