Simple Baklava Bites
Submitted by justjane
Simple baklava bites: buttery phyllo cups twisted into little sachets around a honey-sweetened almond, walnut, and apricot filling. All the baklava flavor, none of the fuss.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
45 minClassic baklava is a labor of love, all razor-cut diamonds and boiling honey syrup. These little bites deliver the same buttery, nutty, spiced payoff with a fraction of the fuss, baked right in a mini-muffin tin.
The filling gets a quick whirl in the food processor: almonds, walnuts, and dried apricots ground with sugar, cinnamon, and cloves, then bound with butter and honey. That honey goes right into the mix, which cleverly skips the syrup-soaking step that trips up so many home bakers.
For the shell, you brush six sheets of phyllo with butter, stack them, cut into squares, and press them into the cups. Twist the corners up into little sachets and bake until crisp and golden. The dried apricot is the smart touch, lending a tart, chewy contrast to the rich nuts and the shattering, buttery pastry.
Pro Tips
- Brush every phyllo layer with butter; that’s what gives baklava its crisp, shattering, flaky layers.
- Keep the phyllo covered with a damp towel while you work, since it dries out and cracks within minutes.
- Press the nut filling in firmly so the bites hold together when you lift them from the tin.
Variations
- Swap the apricots for dried figs or dates, or use all pistachios for a more traditional flavor.
- Add a little orange zest to the filling, or drizzle the cooled bites with extra honey.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Place almonds, walnuts, apricots, bread crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt in food processor.
Run machine until mix is very finely chopped. Transfer to small bowl.
Add 2 tablespoon melted butter and honey and stir to combine.
On dry surface, place 1 sheet phyllo dough. Using a pastry brush and remaining butter, lightly cover sheet of phyllo with melted butter.
Cover first sheet with second sheet of phyllo and brush with butter.
Continue until there is a stack of 6 sheets of phyllo.
Cut stacked phyllo rectangle into 12 pieces.
Gently press each piece of phyllo into mini-muffin tin cups.
Press 1 tablespoon of nut mix into each phyllo cup.
Gather ends of phyllo squares and twist to make a sachet.
Bake until edges of phyllo are golden, about 20 minutes.
When cool enough to handle remove to plate.
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