• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Good Grief Cook
  • Home
  • ABOUT
    • Privacy Policy 2023
  • Recipe Index
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

The Best Honey Search For Baklava

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
Winnie the Pooh book cover
best book

It’s a honey search for baklava

A.A. Milne’s Christopher Robin and my son had a few similarities. First of all, William had an entourage of stuffed animal friends that came to life every night before bed time. He especially loved the stories of the bossy, but often ignorant cat named “Kitty”, the sweet, loving and naive dalmatian dog, “Goodley” and the brilliant voice of reason, “Mack” the dolphin. I cannot help but laugh as I recall the banter of Kitty and Goodley referring to Mack as a fish and Mack feeling so insulted. And then a time when the tooth fairy left a note requesting that “the mean cat be crated” on the nights of her visits.

his stuffed animals
Will’s Room

The similarities don’t stop there. For those who knew Will doesn’t this passage from the book describing Pooh and Christopher Robin’s search for honey remind you of him?

“Well, you both went out with the blue balloon, and you took your gun with you, just in case, as you always did, and Winnie-the-Pooh went to a very muddy place that he knew of, and rolled and rolled until he was black all over; and then, when the balloon was blown up as big as big, and you and Pooh were both holding on to the string, you let go suddenly, and Poor Bear floated gracefully up into the sky”

A change washed over me this week. Call it a divine intervention and a lifting up of my heart. It started with me waking up in the middle of the night laughing out loud. This kind of dream has never ever happened to me before. In the dream, I was simply recalling a very funny story from years ago. The kind that makes you laugh so hard it takes your breath away and the tears begin to trickle down your cheeks. I haven’t laughed like that in…well you know. For the record it felt good to wake feeling so light-hearted. It was indeed bittersweet as I felt that bear hug coming around my shoulders, but this time I was being held by more than him.

young William hugging his kitty
William on his 4th birthday with his new friend, Kitty

Bitter and sweet is a great combination when it comes to cooking. I do believe I promised you a recipe using honey, so here we go. Combined with the bitterness of espresso this crispy baklava drenched in a honey syrup is just right for sharing and making sweet memories with someone you love.

single piece baklava
baklava

Don’t be afraid of the fillo dough. It’s easier to use than you think as long as you follow the box instructions for thawing and keeping it covered as you prepare the recipe.

phyllo dough and melted butter
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon

Chocolate Espresso Baklava


  • Author: Lisa
  • Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
  • Yield: 36 pieces.
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

tasty Greek dessert with lots of crispy layers


Ingredients

8 ounces roasted & salted pistachio nuts

8 ounces chopped almonds

1 (12 oz.) bag semisweet chocolate chips

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

grated zest of 1 lemon

1 roll (20 sheets) Athens Fillo Dough, thawed

1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, melted

1 ¾ cups water

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

juice of ½ lemon

¾ cup honey

 


Instructions

Heat the oven to 350°.  Place pistachio nuts in food processor; pulse until chopped. Add almonds, chocolate chips, ½ cup of sugar, cinnamon and lemon zest; pulse until nuts and chocolate are finely chopped and same size. Unwrap fillo dough and cover with a damp paper towel. Butter a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan. Butter and stack 10 sheets of fillo into the pan. Sprinkle about 2 cups of the filling over the fillo. Gently shake the pan to even the layer of filling. Butter and stack 4 more fillo sheets and place over the filling. Sprinkle on another 2 cups of the filling. Top with 4 more buttered and stacked sheets of fillo and 2 more cups of filling. Butter and stack remaining sheets of fillo dough and place over the filling. Brush top generously with butter. Cut through all layers into about 3-inch squares and then cut each square into 2 triangles.

Bake for 25 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 300° and bake for 50 minutes longer or until until golden brown.

Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, bring the water, espresso powder, lemon juice, honey and remaining 1 1/2 cups of sugar to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Carefully pour the hot syrup evenly over the hot baklava and let stand for several hours or as long as overnight until completely cool. 

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 75 minutes
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: baking

Keywords: fillo dough, phyllo, baklava, Greek dessert, Greek, espresso, chocolate, honey

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag me @goodgriefcook — I can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

 no need to do a honey search for baklava here

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Daryl

    April 10, 2016 at 8:35 am

    You never cease to amaze me with your cooking as well as your words. Oh and save me some of that baklava!

    Reply
    • Lisa

      April 10, 2016 at 9:23 am

      It’s an award winning recipe. You would like it. <3

      Reply
  2. eyeforthebuy

    April 10, 2016 at 10:34 am

    As usual, on this Sunday morning, you take me to “church” in the special way only you and Will k ow how to do. You both give me that special warm and fuzzy hug of feeling gs and memories that I’ve come to count. Sweet and Salty it is-your recipe looks delicious. I love you, Lisa Keys (I always call you by your first and last name)

    Reply
    • Lisa

      April 10, 2016 at 11:16 am

      Thanks “eyeforthebuy”…I love that song by Eric Church…isn’t it he who sings “take me to church”

      Reply
    • Paula Todora

      April 10, 2016 at 2:40 pm

      It left my old blog name for some reason, but it’s me, Paula T

      Reply
      • Lisa

        April 10, 2016 at 7:09 pm

        I knew it was you but thought you were starting a new blog

      • eyeforthebuy

        April 10, 2016 at 7:24 pm

        it’s my very very old one-glad you knew it was me

  3. Cathy

    April 10, 2016 at 2:02 pm

    Peace and Hope….

    Reply
    • Lisa

      April 10, 2016 at 2:05 pm

      always <3

      Reply
  4. Tracy

    April 10, 2016 at 2:37 pm

    What a precious picture of William and Kitty.

    Fillo does scare me so I can’t wait to try yours instead!

    Reply
    • Lisa

      April 10, 2016 at 7:08 pm

      I know isn’t that a sweet one. I love the crispy layers of the fillo

      Reply
  5. Krista

    April 10, 2016 at 9:02 pm

    I really, really loved this post.

    Reply
    • Lisa

      April 10, 2016 at 9:11 pm

      your time is coming…be patient and your heart will be lifted too

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Lisa! Welcome to Good Grief Cook.

Popular

  • Easy Blueberry Crumble Cannoli French Toast
  • Easy Smoked Salmon Appetizer How To
  • Gingerbread Chocolate Bark The Best Hack
  • How a Teen Celebrates a Hero

Footer

back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy

Contact

  • Contact

Copyright 2021 Good Grief Cook