Thursday, November 29, 2012

Skinny Girl's Hazelnut Baklava

Recently, like, since moving to Colorado, I have developed a love of Greek food.  Why?  I don't know.  But it's delicious.

Anyway, I've been trying to think up something to send with D to work, and found on the all mighty Pinterest an "easy" baklava recipe.  I had phyllo dough leftover from my Thanksgiving pumpkin pie, so I thought I'd create a healthier version.   By the way, if you're going to go for the phyllo dough pie crust...just make a pie with no crust at all.  Pie needs real crust.

Anyway, after much googling, I decided that it would be easier if I just made one up myself.  Again, sorry about the poor picture quality.  I'm asking Santa for a REAL camera for Christmas.



Natalee's Hazelnut Baklava

Ingredients:
10 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
I can't believe it's not butter spray
Canola oil zero calorie spray

Filling:
1 6 oz package of chopped hazelnuts
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 c Splenda
3 tbsp water
1/2 tbsp cinnamon

Syrup:
1/4 c + 2 tbsp sugar free maple flavored syrup
1/2 c Splenda zero calorie sweetener
3 tbsp Kroger Honey
1/5 white sugar
Approx 1/3 c Kroger Simple Truth Light Brown Sugar  (10 calories per tsp.)
About 3/4 c water

So, first, take your phyllo dough and unroll it onto the counter, then get a damp paper towel and place it over the dough to prevent drying out.  Spray a 9 X 13 pan and let's get started.

Toast the hazelnuts.  I suppose you don't have to do this, but I did.  350 for about 15 minutes.  Next time I probably won't.  Meh.  Then crush them up.  Put 'em in a bowl.  Add the cocoa, Splenda, water, and cinnamon.  Mix that stuff up really well, and add a little more water if'n you wanna.

Take one sheet of phyllo dough and lay it in the pan.  Spray with butter spray (5 sprays) and a tiny bit of canola.  Brush it even and do the same with 3 more sheets, so 4 layers on the bottom.  Spread the filling on top, then lay down another phyllo sheet.  5 "butter" sprays and canola oil, brush, and then lay then only spray every 3rd layer and the last layer.  Cut it into 18 squares, then cut each square into diagonals.  I goofed and ended up with only 35 squares--don't ask.  Pop that sucker in the oven for 25-27 minutes at 375 F.  While that's cooking, make your syrup.

Syrup
Pop all of that in a saucepan and heat it, stirring frequently.  It'll get brown and runny and will smell pretty awesome.  When it's smooth and syrup-y, cover it and keep it warm until your baklava is done.  Pour over the baklava while everything is still hot, and then comes the hard part.  LET IT COOL for hours.  Like, 4 hours, so everything can get soppy and sticky.


Nutritional Value:  
Calories--70  Fat 3g  Protein: 1g  Fiber:  1 g  Carbs:  10 g.





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