Chocolate Pistachio Baklava

I have been making Baklava for years now, 

even though it isn't something I make every year,

but wow, it makes the house smell so, so good, 

and it is addictively delicious! 

I love its crispy, crunchy, syrupy goodness, but 

this year I decided to take it up a notch and 

use pistachios and add chocolate!  People who 

said they didn't like Baklava tried it and loved it!

Hubby kept eating all of the small edge 

pieces before the party!

I really think this is my favorite Baklava I have ever made. 

People get intimidated by the thinness of the 

Baklava leaves, and sometimes there is reason 

for concern, as sometimes the leaves stick together, 

so I like to purchase an extra package just in case 

we get in trouble with the leaves sticking as the 

package has thawed. 

Once the layers of butter and phyllo dough cool 

it is easy to cut into the traditional shape with a 

sharp knife. 

I decided to time it, so I could tell you how long it 

took me to put the Baklava together.  It was exactly 

an hour, but I ended up with 60 pieces.  

Chocolate Pistachio Baklava Recipe

1 pkg. phyllo dough 

1 1/2 C. melted butter

3/4 lb shelled pistachios (I got mine at Costco)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 C. mini chocolate chips

Syrup

1 C. sugar

1/2 C. honey

3/4 C. water

2 T. lemon juice

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter a 10x15 inch cookie sheet with sides.  

(Really you can do any size pan - a 9x13, 

or even a half sheet cake pan, just cut  

and piece the phyllo dough to fit.)

Pulse the nuts in a food processor until 

pretty finely ground, then pulse in the 

cinnamon. 

Open your phyllo dough and cover with a 

damp paper towel - you don't want it wet 

or it will make the leaves stick together, but 

you need to keep the leaves from drying out.  

Carefully pick up a piece of dough and 

lay it in your buttered pan.  Cut to fit 

if needed, and piece if needed. 

I ran my sheets crosswise, using two 

sheets of dough per layer, since I was using 

the 10x15 pan.  You wouldn't have to do that 

with a 9x13 inch pan.  

 Lightly brush the butter 

on each layer.  Don't over butter.  Make sure you 

get the edges buttered so they don't dry out.  

Create 10 layers of dough and butter, 

then top with about half 

the nuts and 1/4 C. mini chips.  I don't like 

super thick layers of nuts, so I didn't use 

all of my nuts.  

Top with an additional five layers of dough and 

butter, then top with the remaining nuts and 1/4 

C. mini chocolate chips.  Finish with another 10 

layers of phyllo dough brushed with butter.  

Using a sharp knife, cut the dough vertically down 

to a layer of nuts - don't cut all the way through.  

Trust me, you will feel them.  Then cut on the 

diagonal to create the diamond shapes.  

Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes, until 

golden and the house smells heavenly!!!  

While the Baklava is baking, place the 

syrup ingredients in a medium saucepan, 

stir together and bring to a boil.  Reduce 

heat and let boil for about 4 minutes.  

When the Baklava is finished baking, bring 

the syrup back up to heat and pour over 

the puffed, golden pastry!  You will hear it 

crackle and crunch as the syrup pours over.  

Let it rest a least 8 hours so it soaks up 

all of the lovely syrup.  Then when it has rested, 

cut through the layers all the way to the bottom.  

Melt some additional chocolate and drizzle 

it over the Baklava.  

I already have guests asking me to make another batch! 

I hope you give Baklava a try - it tastes nothing 

like the commercial varieties you may have had, 

and adding a touch of chocolate makes it even 

more wonderful!

Thanks for stopping by during this 

crazy busy time of year!

Haagen-Dazs Has New Flavors And I Get To Try Them! Pistachio Gelato Cookie Cups with Pistachio Brittle

Talk about indulgence!!

Haagen-Dazs is THE

superior ice cream and I 

get to try out these three new

flavors and tell you all about them!!

I know, I know, talk about Heaven!!

Which flavor to start with, 

and how to keep the kids out 

of them until I have a chance

to test them first??!!

Oh, the trials!

They arrived on my porch

while I was out of town and

fortunately my daughter

dropped by and called me to

tell me I had packages.

"Quick!! Open any packages!

It could be ice cream and melt!!"

Sure enough the highly anticipated

Haagen-Dazs had arrived.

Isn't the packaging just beautiful?

I am such a Europhile,

(Definition: a person who is fond of,

admires, or even loves European culture)

so I am going to start with

Pistachio Gelato.

Yes, I could have just dug into

it with a spoon and you probably

think I did, but I promise I gave

this gelato its due respect and

waited to taste until it was 

properly presented befitting

its gloriousness.

It is so smooth and creamy!

Probably the best pistachio gelato

I have ever tasted and we have 

tried a lot of them.

Wow!!  You are going to love its

smooth creaminess with just the subtle

saltiness of the pistachios.  The flavor

of the pistachios comes out perfectly.

I had to have a base fitting

Haagen-Dazs ice cream so

I created  Pistachio Cookie Cups,

a cookie baked on a non-stick griddle

that is shaped when hot to create a

crisp cookie bowl.

Then I garnished it with 

Pistachio Brittle.

I could have stopped with 

one scoop (hubby is my official scooper)

but I grew up in Wisconsin where

we ate our ice cream in cereal bowls

so who could stop at one scoop!

This beats allPistachio gelato 

I have had in Europe or the

United States.  

I don't know about you, but

pistachios are something we

always indulge in around the holidays

and this would make such a great

company dessert, or go ahead and

grab a spoon and dig in!

(Confession time:  hubby and I like

to eat a container of Haagen-Dazs while

watching a movie in bed.  How did

Haagen-Dazs know how much I 

love their product?!!)

Yes, I am going to torture you and

review one yummy creation at a time.

Which one will I do next???

Pistachio Cookie Cup Recipe

1 egg

1/3 C. melted butter

1/2 C. sugar

2/3 C. flour

1/8 tsp. salt

2 T. chopped pistachios

1/3 C. milk

1/2 tsp. almond flavoring

In a medium size bowl, lightly whisk the egg,

then whisk in the butter and sugar.  Add the flour,

pistachios, and salt and mix in, 

then stir in the milk and flavoring.  

Heat a non-stick electric griddle to 300 degrees.

Spoon a scant 1/4 C. batter onto hot griddle

(spray with a little Pam or butter it lightly

if desired).  Spread out the batter as

thinly as you can until it reaches about

6 inches in diameter.  Bake on the griddle

until the top is dry - about 7-8 minutes for 

one this size and then gently flip it over

for another minute just to brown it a little

and crisp it up.  Remove with a spatula and

immediately shape in a custard cup.  Let cool

until crisp.  

Pistachio Brittle

(made in the microwave)

1 C. white sugar

1/2 C. light corn syrup

pinch salt

1 C. pistachios, lightly chopped

1 T. butter

1/2 tsp. almond flavoring

1 tsp. baking soda

Prepare a Silpat pan on a baking sheet or

butter the baking sheet well.  Set aside.

Place the sugar, corn syrup and salt into a microwave safe large bowl.  

Glass is preferable as the mix

gets so hot.  Heat for 3 minutes on high, then

remove it and stir.  Heat for another 1 minute

then add pistachios and butter and 

heat for an additional

minute.  Remove and stir in the 

flavoring and soda.

It will foam up rapidly.  Quickly pour it onto the

prepared pan and spread out as thin as possible.

Let cool and break into pieces.  

I will be posting this with

Foodie Friday

Metamorphosis Monday

Many thanks to Haagen-Dazs who so honored 

me with this opportunity to try some of 

their new fabulous flavors!!!