Miracle Baklava
Light & Tasty
Try a FREE ISSUE of Healthy Cooking!
Always asked to bring baklava to special occasions, I created this lighter version to help everyone cut back on calories and fat. The layers of phyllo dough make it very flaky. Try it...you'll like it!
SERVINGS: 30
CATEGORY: Lower Fat
METHOD: Baked
TIME: Prep: 1 hour 25 min. Bake: 40 min.
Ingredients:
- 1 package (12 ounces) vanilla wafers, crushed
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Refrigerated butter-flavored spray (about 4 ounces)
- 1 package frozen phyllo dough (16 ounce, 14-inch x 9-inch sheet size), thawed
- SYRUP:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the wafer crumbs, sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Spritz a 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan with butter-flavored spray. Unroll phyllo sheets. Place one sheet of phyllo in pan; spritz with butter-flavored spray and brush to coat evenly. Repeat seven times, spritzing and brushing each layer. Keep remaining phyllo dough covered with plastic wrap to avoid drying out.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup crumb mixture over phyllo in pan. Layer with two sheets of phyllo, spritzing and brushing with butter-flavored spray between each. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup crumb mixture; repeat 11 times. Top with one phyllo sheet; spritz and brush with butter-flavored spray. Repeat seven more times, spritzing and brushing each layer.
Cut into 15 squares; cut each square in half diagonally. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring the sugar, water, honey and lemon peel to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Cool to lukewarm. Pour syrup over warm baklava. Yield: 30 servings.