Maggie’s Heavenly Baklava

I suppose it’s perfectly fitting that my first post is about one of the humans I love most on this planet: my mom. Those who know her use the following words to describe her: #selfless #hardworking #kind #caring #generous She’s always been there for me. Always.

Photo by Colin Young-Wolff

In fact, when it comes to me and my brother, the word “NO” doesn’t exist in her vocabulary. Growing up on the other side of the world, she wasn’t used to having any luxuries at her disposal (she’s of Armenian origin and was born in Aleppo, Syria to a family of very humble means). She shared a room with three of her siblings and, despite not having much, a spirit of generosity permeated their household. Selfishness was nowhere to be found in their tiny home and everyone took care of each other. They were taught to be giving (even when they didn’t have enough for themselves). Let me share an example of her selfless personality: When I got my driver’s license at the age of 16, I was like any other anxious teenager who couldn’t wait to have her own car. Instead of saying “NO” (because money was very tight), my mom got a second job and saved enough to get me a #ToyotaCorolla. She had to sacrifice a lot to do that. That’s the type of person she is: she’s sweet... Sweet like the exceptional desserts she’s known for. My love for baking undoubtedly comes from her. She’s always possessed an uncanny ability to whip up delicious desserts on the fly. Try to throw a baking curveball at her and she’ll accept the challenge without hesitation. New recipes or complicated instructions don’t intimidate her, and her personality won’t allow her to give up and say “NO.” When she’s done baking, you’re almost always guaranteed to enjoy a perfect treat (even if it was produced as part of an unrehearsed experiment). I’ve learned a lot about baking from her – and, a lot more about life – and that’s exactly why I wanted to dedicate this post to her. I love you, mom. #ThankYou for everything. Naturally, this post wouldn’t be complete without one of her recipes. So, I decided to share the one she’s most famous for: Maggie’s Heavenly Baklava. The taste and aroma of her baklava is simply incredible. With its flaky top and buttery bottom, this is a perfectly balanced dessert that cannot be replicated by commercial bakeries. In between the delectable layers, you’ll find a harmonious mix of cinnamon and crushed walnuts (which, of course, is the only ingredient that makes you feel like you’re eating something healthy). The final product is guaranteed to be superbly scrumptious. I welcome you to try our family recipe and let us all know how it turned out. Also, please feel free to experiment with the ingredients and make the recipe your own, because that’s exactly what my mom would do! PIG OUT! #arpiggy #mothersday #recipe #baklava #pigout #heavenly #flaky #buttery #middleeast #dessert #armenian #baklawa #athensfoods #baklavas #dessertlover #desserttime #dessertrecipe #baked #thebakefeed #dessertshare #walnuts #armeniandessert #mothersdaydesserts

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RECIPE: MAGGIE’S HEAVENLY BAKLAVA

To learn how to properly thaw, handle and store the filo (phyllo) dough, please follow the helpful instructions on the filo packaging.

INGREDIENTS

FILO DOUGH AND FILLING

• 1/4 cup of sugar

• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

• 3 cups of chopped walnuts

• 36 sheets (approximately one and a half boxes of filo dough)

• 3/4 lbs plus 4 tablespoons of melted butter

SYRUP

• 1 and 1/8 cups of water

• 2 1/4 cups of sugar

• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice

BAKING DIRECTIONS

• Combine chopped walnuts, cinnamon, sugar and cloves in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.

• Using a basting brush, butter the bottom of an 11”x 17” baking sheet.

• Place about 18 sheets of filo dough onto the pan, brushing each one individually with melted butter.

• Pour the walnut mixture onto the last buttered layer of filo dough and evenly distribute.

• Add the remaining 18 sheets of filo, again brushing each one individually with melted butter.

• After brushing the top layer with butter, cut the filo diagonally into 1.5”- 2” diamond shapes.

• Preheat oven to 350°F.

• Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

• Make the syrup once you place the baklava in the oven.

• Prepare the syrup by combining its ingredients: water, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan under medium heat until it comes to a boil. Let it boil for 5-7 minutes. Place aside until baklava is done.

• The syrup will be warm but not hot. Pour the syrup over the golden brown baklava and PIG OUT!