Cooking With Rania: Cashew Baklava Rolls
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Rania Harris, of Rania's Catering, celebrates Greek Orthodox Easter with this recipe for Cashew Baklava Rolls.
Cashew Baklava Rolls
Syrup:
4 ½ cups sugar
3 cups water
2 sticks cinnamon
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Filling:
2 ½ pounds lightly toasted coarsely chopped unsalted raw cashews
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch of salt
1 ½ cups clarified melted sweet butter (for brushing the filo)
1 pound filo dough
Paper baking cups
Directions:
For syrup: Cook all ingredients over low heat (gently boiling) for 20 minutes.
For filling: Combine cashews, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and 2 cups of syrup in a large bowl add more syrup, if necessary, to make moist mixture that sticks together.
Cut filo dough in half crosswise. Brush 1 sheet with butter and fold in half and bush with more butter. Keep remaining dough covered with a plastic bag, while making the rolls.
Place about 2 tablespoons of the nut mixture about 1 inch in from the bottom of the buttered filo piece and roll fold in the sides. Roll up to resemble an egg roll in shape. Arrange each filo roll on baking sheet that has been lined with parchment and brush with melted butter. Rolls may be frozen at this point, covered well with foil to prevent freezer burn. When ready to bake them off, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake them from a frozen state for about 20 - 25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and brush with additional syrup.
Place in baking cup when ready to serve.
