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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.