Floral-Scented Baklava

== Ingredients ==
=== Scented syrup ===
* 1½ cups light unbleached sugar or white beet sugar
* ¾ cup water
* 2 tbsp rose water, orange blossom water, or regular water with 1 or 2 drops lavender essential oil blended in
* 1 lb phyllo pastry, cut in half to make 9x13" sheets
* 1 cup margarine (Earth Balance), melted
=== Filling ===
* 4 cups chopped walnuts (you can also use hazelnuts)
* ½ cup light unbleached sugar or white beet sugar
* 2 tbsp floral water as above
== Directions ==
=== Scented syrup ===
# Boil the water and sugar together for 2 minutes.
# Add the floral water.
# Cool a bit, then refrigerate.
=== Filling ===
# Grind the walnuts, sugar and floral water together in a food processor until it’s almost paste-like.
# Preheat the oven to 350°F .
=== Assemble the baklava ===
# Brush a 9x13" baking pan with the melted margarine.
# Place a sheet of phyllo pastry in the pan, brush with margarine and continue this till you have used up half the phyllo pastry and half the margarine.
# Distribute the filling evenly over the top.
# Layer the rest of the phyllo pastry and margarine, brushing the top with margarine (you should have just enough margarine) 
# Cut 1"-wide long strips, right through to the bottom of the pan, and then cut on the diagonal to make diamond shapes.
# Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300°F and bake about 10 minutes more, or til golden brown and puffy.
# Re-cut the pieces you have already cut, then pour the syrup over the whole thing.
# It will look like it’s sitting in a pool of syrup, but it gets absorbed.
# Let it cool on a rack at room temperature for several hours before serving.
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Category:Pastry Recipes