Baklava With Cooky Filling

Karen Mintzias

---COOKY FILLING

--- 2 c Sweet butter

1 c Confectioners' sugar

1 Egg yolk

1 ts Vanilla or almond extract

4 c Flour

---SYRUP

--- 4 c Granulated sugar

4 c Water

1 c Honey

Lemon juice to taste

--BAKLAVA

-- 1 lb Toasted blanched almonds *

1/2 c Zwieback crumbs

4 tb Granulated sugar

1 ds Cinnamon

1 lb Phyllo pastry sheets

1 1/2 c Sweet butter; melted

*Note: Either toasted blanched almonds, or walnut meats, or half of each, (finely chopped) may be used. Cooky Filling: Cream the 2 cups sweet butter until light. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar and continue to beat until mixture is fluffy. Add egg yolk and vanilla or almond extract and blend well. Work in about 4 cups flour to make a medium-soft dough. Set aside and make syrup. Syrup: In a saucepan combine the granulated sugar and water. Bring to a boil and boil for 15 minutes or until syrup is slightly thick. Add honey and again bring to the boiling point. Add lemon juice to taste, and cool. Mix almonds or walnuts, or a combination of the two, with zwieback, 4 T granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Brush 2 sheets of phyllo pastry evenly with butter and sprinkle with nut mixture. Place 2 buttered sheets of phyllo on top and sprinkle with nut mixture. Shape a portion of cooky filling into a 1/2-inch-thick roll and place the roll along one edge of the pastry sheets. Roll up loosely, cut into 2-inch slices, and place slices in a buttered cake pan. (Continue in this method until all phyllo pastry and/or cooky filling is used.) Brush tops of each slice with butter and bake in a 350 F oven for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Dip the hot baklava slices, one at a time, in cold syrup, allowing each piece to remain in the syrup for a few minutes. From: "The Art of Greek Cookery" by The Women of St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church (Hempstead, NY) Typed for you by Karen Mintzias