Baklava Nut Roll

I love nut rolls (or poppy seed rolls) but the filling is sometime bland.  I made a the filling I use for baklava and my hubby suggested that I make the baklava syrup to top the slices.  I am so glad he did, it is wonderful.

This recipe makes 8 rolls - I usually make a half batch.  You can freeze these - just wrap in plastic wrap then foil once cooled.

One hint I was given - create a template for the dough.  An 9 x 14 piece of parchment or a flexible cutting board cut to size.

Dough:

2 Tsp Yeast

1/4 Cup Warm Water (no higher than 110 degrees)

6 Eggs

16 Ounces Sour Cream

2 Cups Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

1 Tsp Vanilla

1/2 Tsp Salt

10 Cups Flour

Filling:

1 Lb Walnuts

1 Lb Pecans

1 Lb Almonds

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Honey

1 Cup Melted Butter

1 Tsp Cinnamon

Syrup:

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Water

1/2 Cup Honey

1 Tsp Lemon Juice

Heat the oven to 350.  Line sheet pans with parchment paper or a silicone mat - set aside.

Mix water and yeast, set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, use a whisk o beat the eggs until combined.  With a dough hook attached, add the sour cream, butter, sugar, vanilla and yeast.  Once mixed, add the salt an mix on medium speed until well combined.  Reduce speed to low and add the flour a half cup at a time until it is all incorporated.  Continue to mix until the dough does not stick and pulls away from the side of the bowl.

Divide the dough into eight pieces.  On a very well floured surface, roll one piece of dough into a rectangle roughly 9 x 14 inches.  Spread filling to within about an inch of the edges.  The edge you are going to start rolling, you  may take it to the edge.  Roll up tightly, pinch the seams shut.  Place on the baking sheet, tucking the ends under.  Repeat with all other dough.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for at least 3 hours.  Alternately, refrigerate over night and allow to rise at least 4 hours after removing from the refrigerator.

Bake for 20 minutes until tops are lightly browned.  Remove from oven, cool completely before slicing.

While baking, make syrup:  Combine sugar and water and bring to a boil.  Add honey, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Stir in lemon juice and cool.

Slice nut roll, top slice with syrup before serving.

Coconut Pecan Rice Pudding

Growing up, rice pudding was one of my favorite desserts.  Now, my dessert has grown up.  Don't like bourbon?  No need to use it.

1 c  Long Grain Rice
2 Cups Water
1 t  Vanilla
14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
12 oz Evaporated Milk
1/4 c  Bourbon
2 T  Light Brown Sugar
1 1/2 t  Cinnamon
1 c  Pecans,Chopped
1/2 c  Coconut

Combine rice and water in a large pan.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and cook 15 minutes   Combine rice, vanilla, milks, bourbon, sugar and cinnamon in a small slow cooker. 

Stir.

Cook on low for 3 hours.  Toast coconut and pecans, stir into pudding and enjoy!

Baklava

I enjoyed this dessert so much, and ordered it so often, that I can say it a little too well.  The Greek owner of our local restaurant asked if I was Greek.  This lead to my belief that perhaps I should learn how to make it.  Now it is a Christmas staple.  I purchase my Phyllo dough from the frozen foods section of my grocery store.

  1 Lb Unsalted Butter, Melted                                   1 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon

  1 Lb Phyllo Dough, Thawed                                    1 C Sugar

  1 C Pecans, Finely  Chopped                                   1 Small Lemon

  1 C Walnuts, Finely  Chopped                                  1 C Water

  1 C Almonds, Finely  Chopped                                 2 Inch Piece Cinnamon Stick

  1/2 C Sugar                                                            1 C Honey

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Brush 13x9x2 inch baking pan with some of the melted butter.  Fold a phyllo sheet in half and place in dish.  Brush with melted butter and top with another folded phyllo sheet; brush with melted butter.   

In a small bowl, combine pecans, walnuts almonds, sugar and cinnamon; mix well.  Top phyllo in dish with 1/2 c of the nut mixture.   

Top with 2 more folded sheets of phyllo, brushing each with melted butter.  Top with 1/2 cup nut mixture.  Continue layering 2 phyllo sheets, brushed with butter, and nut mixture until only 2 sheets of phyllo remain.  Fold, butter and layer last 2 sheets to form top crust.  With razor blade or sharp knife, cut through top layers into serving size portions. 

Bake for 50 minutes, making honey syrup as it  bakes.  Remove from oven and cut through all layers of pastry with sharp knife, using marks as guides.

To make Honey Syrup:  remove zest from lemon.  Squeeze 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice from lemon and set aside.  Combine lemon zest, sugar, water and cinnamon stick in heavy saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Lower heat and continue cooking without stirring for 25 minutes or until mixture is syrupy and register 230 degrees on a candy thermometer.  Stir in honey.  Pour mixture through a strainer into a pitcher or measuring cup.  Add lemon juice.  Stir and let cool.  Pour cooled honey syrup over pastry.   

When cool, cover tightly.  

DO NOT REFRIGERATE.

Fudge - Dorothy Thomas

Hubby was very excited when I told him I was making his grandmother's fudge.  I even had permission to add the pecans.  He usually doesn't like them, but he would eat them for his grandmother, so he said to use them.  The pecans are optional.  If you like, you can also substitute other nuts or coconut for the pecans.

  18 Ounce Semi Sweet Chocolate Bits                                      13 Ounce Evaporated Milk

  1/4 Tsp Salt                                                                              4 Cups Sugar

  1 Cup Butter                                                                            1 Cups Pecans

  7 Ounce Marshmallow Cream                                                 1 Tsp Vanilla

Grease a 13 x 9 pan, set aside.

Combine chocolate, salt, butter and marshmallow in a large bowl.  Set aside.

Combine milk and sugar in a sauce pan over moderate heat.   

Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly.  Boil until it forms a soft ball in water - 232 degrees on a thermometer.  Pour hot mixture over chocolate mixture and blend well, beating slightly.   

Fold in vanilla and chopped nuts.   

Pour into pan and refrigerate until set.