Bittersweet Chocolate Date Nut Baklava

Baklava has gone wild!  One of our favorite catering desserts of all times. This combination of bittersweet chocolate baklava with the dates, cinnamon, and walnuts is utterly delicious. The flavors are so rich I serve it alone with a cup of coffee, tea, or a glass of wine. Working with phyllo is quite simple if you follow these few tips:

• Buy your phyllo the day ahead and defrost in the refrigerator.
• Remove from the refrigerator before starting your baking.
• Use slightly warm melted butter when brushing the phyllo.
• Lay each phyllo down and butter, piece together if phyllo rips.
• To bake place in the lover third of your oven for a crisp bottom.
• Always use cold or warm syrup when pouring over hot baklava.
• Best when made a day ahead for syrup/honey to set.

Use a sheet pan for this recipe. Cut recipe in half for a 1/2 sheet pan.

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Bittersweet Chocolate Date Nut Baklava

Chocolate and walnuts enveloped in a crunchy bittersweet phyllo.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Greek

Keyword baklava, california greek, chocolate, date, nuts

Servings 30

Author Mary Papoulias-Platis

Ingredients

Syrup:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Chocolate Filling

• 6 cups walnuts
• 12 ozs. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups pitted dates
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 sticks melted butter for the phyllo
• 1 box of pyhllo dough, thawed, in the refrigerator the night before.

Instructions

Syrup

1. Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and boil until sugar is dissolved. About 2 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and let cool.

Filling

1. Place the walnuts, chopped chocolate, dates, sugar and cinnamon in a food processor and pulse on/off until nut mixture is coarsely chopped.
2. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the eggs. Mix well.
3. Butter the sheet pan.
4. Place 1/2 pound of the phyllo sheets on the bottom. (about 14 sheets) one by one buttering each layer.
5. Add the chocolate-nut mixture.
6. Add remaining phyllo, buttering each layer.
7. Cut into 2 1/2 " (or any size you would like), squares or so. Can be cut in diagonals or diamonds too.
8. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degree oven.
9. Pour syrup over the baklava immediately.
10. Let the baklava cool and serve.

Recipe Notes

Note: This can be ahead of time. Freeze before cooking, add syrup after baking.
I buy my chocolate bar at Trader Joes.

Happy Holidays,

Mary

© 2011 – 2023, Mary Papoulias-Platis. All rights reserved.

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Tagged as: baklava, chocolate, chocolate baklava, desert, Greek desert, Greek food, phyllo, Valentine