Sweet Chocolately Delicious Baklava Recipes

CHOCOLATE BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 10x14-inch baking pan with butter.
• Mix pecans, dark chocolate, 3/4 cup sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Trim phyllo dough to fit prepared baking pan. Layer 8 sheets of phyllo dough in prepared baking pan, brushing each sheet with melted butter; sprinkle with 2 cups pecan mixture. Spread butter on 4 more sheets of phyllo and layer over pecans; sprinkle with 2 more cups pecans. Repeat layers with 4 more sheets of phyllo and remaining pecans. Pour any leftover butter over baklava.
• Cut through the top few layers of phyllo lengthwise, leaving bottom layer intact, to create 4 long rows. Make evenly-spaced zigzag cuts along each row to create small triangles, again leaving bottom layer of phyllo intact.
• Bake in preheated oven until phyllo dough is golden brown and flaky, about 1 hour; immediately finish cutting through to bottom layer of baklava.
• Bring orange juice, honey, water, 1/2 cup sugar, and lemon juice to a boil in a saucepan; reduce heat to medium and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. Pour sauce over baklava.
• Melt remaining 2 ounces chocolate and 1 teaspoon butter in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching. Drizzle chocolate over baklava. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

CHOCOLATE BROWNIE BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9 by 13-inch pan.
• Place the softened butter in a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, and whisk until it is pale yellow and light. Add the sugar and whisk until the mixture is light and fluffy. Whisk in the cooled chocolate, then add the eggs 1 at a time, whisking after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla and liqueur, sift in the flour, cocoa, and salt and fold them in until combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan, smoothing it out evenly, and bake in the center of the oven until the brownies have puffed slightly around the edges and are shiny on the surface, about 30 minutes. They will be very moist in the center. Allow the brownies to cool 4 to 6 hours, but overnight is best.
• When you are ready to make the baklava, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Brush the fillo sheets with clarified butter and stack them. Cut fillo sheets into 4 (6-inch) squares. Brush one side of the 4 squares with some caramel sauce and sprinkle with half of the chopped pecans. Cut the brownies into 3-inch squares (reserve remaining brownies for another purpose) and place one on each fillo square. Fold fillo sheets around the brownies like an envelope, brush them with clarified butter, and place them seam-side down on a baking sheet. Bake until they are golden brown, about 4 or 5 minutes.
• Carefully place them on plate with a scoop of ice cream. Cover in caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, and pecans and enjoy.

CHOCOLATE BAKLAVA

Steps:

• In a small skillet, melt butter over low heat.
• Let stand a few minutes.
• Skim off and discard white foam from top and do not use any milky residue that sinks to bottom.
• The clear yellow liquid is clarified butter.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a medium bowl, combine pecans, cinnamon, 1/4 cup sugar, and chocolate chips.
• Mix well.
• Open and stack phyllo sheets on a damp towel.
• Cover with a damp towel to prevent drying out.
• Brush a 12x18-inch sheet cake pan with clarified butter.
• Layer half of phyllo sheets (about 10 x 12) in pan, brushing each sheet with butter.
• Spread half of nut mixture evenly over layered phyllo sheets.
• Brush next phyllo sheet on both sides with butter, then place on top of nuts.
• Add 5 or 6 more phyllo sheets, brushing each sheet with butter.
• Top with the remaining nut mixture.
• Butter next phyllo sheet on both sides and place on top of the nuts.
• Top with remaining phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter.
• Using a sharp knife, cut pastry into 50 diamond-shaped pieces.
• Do not remove pastry from pan.
• Brush top with remaining clarified butter.
• Bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until golden.
• About 30 minutes before baklava is finished baking, in a small saucepan, combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar and orange juice.
• Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring often.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Pour hot orange syrup over hot baklava as soon as it is removed from oven.
• Let stand until cool, 4 hours or overnight.
• When baklava is cool, drizzle Thin Chocolate Glaze on top.
• Allow glaze to set up before serving.
• Baklava may be kept, covered, 4 to 5 days at room temperature.
• Freeze for longer storage.
• To make the Thin Chocolate Glaze------------------.
• In a small glass bowl, combine chocolate, butter, and 1 tablespoon water.
• Heat in the microwave on High 30 to 45 seconds, or until melted and smooth when stirred.