Halloween Bat-klava Recipe

Author & Photographer: Megan Hanson

Bat Baklava--Bat-klava if you will--combines the best flavors of Fall with the best holiday of Fall: Halloween! It’s more unique than the cookies and cupcakes usually associated with Halloween. Baklava is a dessert made of layers of pastry and ground nuts that are then doused in honey. While Baklava may look complicated, there is little technical ability required. Most of the effort is put into layering the phyllo dough and pistachio filling. The phyllo dough can be bought in the freezer aisle (I got mine from Whole Foods) and the pistachios can be bought de-shelled to reduce prep time. You can convince your friends you know how to bake when you really don't! Or better yet, make it with friends and laugh at each other's wonky-looking bats. Happy Halloween!

The final product was definitely worth all the time invested. It had a super crunchy texture from the pastry and nuts. The flavors of the honey, pistachio, and cinnamon combine well. Beware: it’s super sweet! Feel free to use less sugar in the filling and less syrup if you don’t have a sweet tooth. This recipe also pairs wonderfully with a creamy cup of coffee.

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Recipe

Servings: about 14

Prep time: 1.5 hours

Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

Syrup:

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 cup honey

• 1 cup water

• 1 lemon, sliced

• 2 cinnamon sticks

Dough and filling:

• 2 cups pistachio, de-shelled 

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• 3 tbsp white sugar

• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted

• ½ lb phyllo dough

Syrup instructions:

1. Combine granulated sugar, honey, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until sauce thickens to the consistency of maple syrup (about 12 minutes).

2. Take sauce off the heat and add 1 sliced lemon and 2 cinnamon sticks.

3. Set aside at room temperature to cool. (The syrup should be at room temperature and still pourable when ready to use; if it is cooled too much, you can reheat it slightly.)

Filling instructions:

1. In a food processor, mix together the de-shelled pistachios, cinnamon, and sugar. Set aside. (Alternatively, you can chop the nuts into a fine, sand-like texture).

Assembly:

1. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with melted butter.

2. Place two sheets of phyllo on the bottom of the dish and brush the tops with butter. Repeat until you have six stacked sheets. 

3. Spread 1/3 of the pistachio filling evenly over the phyllo.

4. Repeat steps 2-3 two more times until you have three alternating layers of phyllo dough and nut filling.

5. Top the final nut layer with the remaining six phyllo sheets, buttering every other one as above. Place in the fridge for one hour.

6. With a sharp knife, cut through all the layers down to the bottom of the dish, making about 12 diamonds. Cut the outline of a bat out of the top phyllo layer for each piece.

7. Preheat the oven to 350°F  and bake for 45 minutes. 

8. Once your bat-klava is freshly out of the oven, pour the syrup in between the cuts and around the edges of each section, taking care to avoid the top or else it will get soggy. Set aside at room temperature until completely cool, about two hours) and enjoy!

Adapted from: https://basicswithbabish.co/basicsepisodes/baklava