Baklava

 

Ingredients:-

Phyllo Sheets-20
Butter-1 cup

For The Filling-

Cashew Nuts-1/3 cup
Pistachios-1/3 cup
Walnuts-1/3 cup
Powdered Sugar-1/2 cup
Cardamom Powder-1/4 tsp
Cinnamon powder-1/2 tsp
Salt-1/8 tsp

For the Sugar Syrup-

 Sugar-1 cup
Water-1/2 cup
Lemon juice-1 tsp
Rose Water / Rose Essence-1/2 tsp

Method:-

For the Sugar Syrup:-

Take sugar,water and lemon juice in a pan.

Heat it and bring it to a boil while mixing it for the sugar to dissolve.Once the sugar has dissolved,let it simmer on low heat for about 4 minutes,without stirring,add rose water or rose essence .Remove it and let it cool completely.

  For The Filling:-

Place all the nuts in a baking tray and spread them evenly.

Roast in the preheated  150 C oven or toaster oven for 10 minutes or light golden color.

Allow to cool completely.

Now powder the nuts.

Add the powdered sugar,salt cinnamon powder and cardamom powder and grounded nuts mix well .keep it aside.

Heat butter in a pan till brown in color.Keep it aside.

Assemble the Baklava:-

Pre heat oven to 150C .

Thaw the frozen phyllo pastry according to the the directions given on the pack.Mine said to thaw it at room temperature for 1 hour.

I have used a 8.5 x 4.75 pan.I used 10 sheets of pastry.I cut in the middle of the each sheet fit the baking pan and immediately refrigerate the remaining sheets.All sheets cover with wet cloth.

Now grease the pan with melted butter,

Place a phyllo sheet,It's perfectly okay if its a bit wrinkled or torn.

Apply butter on the sheet generously.

Place another sheet.Continue the process till 5 sheets are used up.

Put 1/3 cup of the filling on the top of the 5th sheet.

Spread the filling evenly. Place another sheet and butter it.

Continue till another 5 sheets are used up.
Continue this process in such a way that you will have 4 layers of 5 sheets alternated with with 3 layers of filling.

The finishing will be with the set of 5 sheets.

Cut into desired shape.

Drizzle the remaining butter on top.
Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or till you get a golden brown top.

Remove it from the oven and evenly drizzle the sugar and honey syrup immediately.

Allow to cool completely before serving.Serving it garnished with nuts..Enjoy!!!

Sesame Jaggery Balls / Ellu Urundai

Ingredients:-

White Sesame Seeds-1 cup
Jaggery-1/2 cup
Cashew Nuts-1/4 cup (make small pieces) add if u more or less
Oil or Ghee- 1 tsp



Method:-

In a pan fry the sesame seeds and  add 1/2 cup of water mix well.Roast the sesame seeds until light golden brown,remove and keep aside.

Dry roast cashew nuts pieces into lightly golden brown,keep it aside. In a big thick bottomed vessel,add water and jaggery.

Cook on medium high heat.Start boiling when jaggery melts remove from heat and strain to remove if any dirt in the jaggery.

And bring back to heat and boil in a low flame till it becomes like thick syrup.
when it starts foaming like shown in the photo.

It reached the consistency we want for this recipe.To test ,add few drops of jaggery syrup to the cold water.When pushed with fingers,it the syrup can be roll to a round ball and keeps share without meting in spite to tilting the plate to different directions,it is done and the syrup is ready.
this whole process take about 15 to 20 minutes.

At this stage,add sesame seeds and cashew nuts pieces and mix well.

Then grease your hands with ghee and make small balls out of it when still hot.(when your hands can bear the heat)

 Note:- If the mixture hardens,heat it again and make balls.

Store it in an air tight container and enjoy.