Cashew Five Spice Baklava Bundles

   

This experimental twist on baklava was the result of trying to find a use for some phyllo pastry that was leftover from making my Phyllo Chicken Prosciutto Margherita. (Look for that recipe in the coming days) The only nuts I had left in the house were salted some toasted cashews, so in they went after a rough chop with a knife. They were absolutely amazing served warm out of the oven,

Makes 12

one pound frozen phyllo pastry
2 cups chopped toasted cashews
aprox 2 tsp five spice powder
aprox 1 cup melted butter

Brush melted butter onto a sheet of phyllo pastry and continue alternating the layers of butter and pastry until the stack is 8 layers thick. Cut into 3 inch squares and press into buttered muffin pans. Add about a couple of teaspoons of chopped cashews and a pinch of five spice powder to each pastry shell.

Create another stack of phyllo pastry brushed with butter, this time using only 4 layers. Cut this stack into 1&1/2 to 2 inch squares and place one square on top of the nuts and spice. Continue layering the nuts and five spice alternately with the pastry squares until the muffin pans are filled to the top. Brush the tops of the baklava bundles with butter and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until the tops are evenly golden brown. Spoon the warm honey syrup over the bundles while still hot and allow to sit in the pans for about 20 minutes to allow them to cool and absorb the syrup before serving.

Honey Syrup

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and simmer for about 10 minutes.