Bacon Baklava Recipes

GREEK BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.
• Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep.
• Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
• Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
• Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.

BACON BAKLAVA

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain., Coarsely crumble bacon into a food processor; add almonds and dates. Cover and process until finely chopped., Brush a 13x9-in. baking pan with some of the butter. Unroll phyllo dough; trim to fit into pan., Layer five sheets of phyllo dough in prepared pan, brushing each with butter. (Keep remaining dough covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.) Sprinkle with a third of the bacon mixture. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining phyllo dough, brushing each sheet with butter., Using a sharp knife, cut into 1-1/2-in. diamond shapes. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Pour over warm baklava. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

BACON BAKLAVA

Steps:

• 1. Thaw the phyllo at room temperature for 2 hours. Cut in half crosswise to get sheets approximately 9x13 to fit the baking pan. Keep the phyllo covered at all times with waxed paper and a damp tea towel to keep it from drying out.
• 2. Lightly butter the bottom of a 9x13 cake pan. Place one sheet of the phyllo in pan and brush carefully with melted butter. Add 7 more sheets, brushing each with butter.
• 3. In a bowl, combine the walnuts, pecans, bacon and the 3/4 cup sugar. Mix well. Sprinkle 1 cup evenly over the pastry in the pan. Drizzle with some melted butter.
• 4. Top with 4 sheets of phyllo, brushing each with butter. Sprinkle another cup of nut-bacon mixture, drizzle butter.
• 5. Repeat the 4-sheet / nut mixture / drizzle routine 4 more times. Place the remaining 8 sheets of pastry on top, brushing each with melted butter.
• 6. With a sharp knife, cut diagonally, cutting to but not through the bottom layer. Continue cutting at about 1-inch spacing until you have approximately 48 diamond-shaped pieces.
• 7. Bake 1 hour at 325º. Remove from oven; finish cutting diamonds; cool thoroughly.
• 8. When pastry is cooled, prepare the syrup in a saucepan, combining the 2 cups sugar, the water, honey, lemon juice and cinnamon sticks. Boil gently for 15 minutes. Remove cinnamon, stir well.
• 9. Pour warm syrup evenly over cooled pastry. Cool completely. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

BACON PECAN BOURBON BAKLAVA

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9- by 13-inch baking pan. 2. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the figs and 2 tablespoons bourbon. Let stand until the bourbons soaks into the figs. Meanwhile, cook the bacon as directed until very well browned. Drain on paper towels, then crumble very finely. Very finely chop the pecans. Stir the bacon, pecans, and ½ cup sugar into the fig mixture. 3. Lay a sheet of phyllo into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Lightly brush with melted butter. Repeat with 4 more phyllo sheets and butter. Spread one-third of the filling evenly over the phyllo. On a clean work surface, lightly brush 1 phyllo sheet with butter. Top with another phyllo sheet and lightly butter. Repeat with 3 more phyllo sheets and butter, then press the stack on top of the filling. Spread half of the remaining filling evenly on top. Repeat this layering of 5 phyllo sheets and bacon filling one more time. Top with 5 buttered and stacked phyllo sheets, buttering the top well. 4. With a small, sharp serrated knife, cut the baklava into 48 diamonds. Bake the baklava until dark golden brown, about 1 hour. 5. While the baklava bakes, bring the maple syrup, water, remaining ½ cup sugar, and remaining 3 tablespoons bourbon to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. As soon as the baklava comes out of the oven, pour the syrup evenly on top. Let stand for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.