This is a different shaped baklava. You will notice that only the shape is different, ingredients are the same. This is one comes out more crunchy than other baklava recipes. It is also a baklava that accepts errors. Even if the phyllo sheets are broken, it can go unnoticed.
Preparing this baklava recipe is actually fun. You roll up the filo sheets and then squeeze and take out. You will need to a thin long rolling pin – oklava or a thick knitting needle. If both are not available use your imagination I am sure you can replace something to do the job.
You do not have to make the whole recipe. Lets say you have about half of the ingredients like 20 filo sheets, 100 grams walnuts, you can still prepare this recipe and enjoy a dessert.
The different thing about this baklava is that once it is out of the oven you do not pour on the syrup, you dip the baklava pieces into the syrup and then serve.
Hope you will try and enjoy.
Shirred Baklava
Equipment
- Thin, long rolling pin or a thick knitting needle
Ingredients
- 30 filo sheets
- 250 grams walnuts
- 150 grams butter
Syrup
- 400 grams sugar
- 400 millilitres water
- 1 teaspoon lemon's juice
Garnish
- 1 teaspoon ground pistachio
Instructions
Syrup
- Prepare the syrup first.
- Put the sugar and the water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Mix until the sugar is dissolved, then mix once in a while.
- When the water comes to boil add a teaspoon of lemon's juice.
- Let simmer for 5 minutes after the water comes to boil.
- Then remove from heat and set aside in a cool place, while preparing the baklava.
Shirred Baklava
- Ground the walnuts, but should not be powder like. May replace walnuts with nuts.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Grease the oven tray/dish with butter.
- The filo sheets get dry very quickly. As soon as you open the pack cover the sheets with a clean damp cloth, and keep under the cloth when you are not handling the sheets.
- Use an open flat area – a large cutting board or tray. Lay down a sheet of pastry. Sprinkle with butter, while the butter is still warm and liquid.
- Lay another sheet on top of the first one. Sprinkle with ground walnuts and butter.
- Using a thin long roller pin start rolling from the shorter side the pastry sheet until the end. If you do not have a thin rolling pin, you may use a thick knitting needle.
- When you finish rolling, before taking the sheet out. Squeeze from both sides towards the middle. The filo sheet will have a shirred look.
- Then gently take out the shirred sheet – now looking like a squezzed long cigar – on to the oven tray/dish greased before.
- Then continue doing the same steps until all the material is finished or the tray is full.
- Heat up the remaining butter again and pour it on the shirred baklava’s. Wait for 5 minutes to let the butter settle.
- Put the tray in a pre-heated oven at 170° Celsius until golden on the top and bottom. This will take around 15 minutes.
- When you take out the tray from the oven, let rest for 5 minutes.
- Then soak portions of shirred baklava into the syrup using a perforated spoon and take them out to a serving plate.
- Garnish with ground pistachio, if not available garnish with dry coconut flakes.