Each serving of this baklava pastry is drenched in honey syrup with crunchy almonds encased in layers of paper-thin phyllo. Try using orange blossom, thyme or wildflower honey for an intriguing taste in this Hanukkah favorite that we adapted from To Life! (Culture Concepts), a cookbook by Thelma Barer-Stein, Esther Schwartz and Risa Vandersluis. They recommend making this delicious but time-consuming dessert ahead of time and freezing.
Chatelaine tip
Phyllo, tissue-thin layers of melt-in-your-mouth pastry, is sold in most supermarkets and Middle Eastern food shops. Keep phyllo refrigerated until ready to use. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Once unwrapped, it dries out quickly. To prevent phyllo from drying out while you prepare a recipe, cover unused pieces with a piece of plastic wrap and barely damp towel.