How to Make Vegan Baklava

Baklava is a beloved dessert in the Middle East and the Mediterranean. Sweet, sticky and nutty, baklava can be easily stored and carried with you on long treks across the desert or just across town. Since baklava is traditionally made with lots of butter and honey, yesterday's vegan diners were not able to partake of this delicacy. That's not the case anymore, however. With a little bit of ingenuity, you can make vegan baklava that will have all your friends and family (even the omnivores) asking for more.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• One box of frozen phyllo dough
• 2 cups of crushed walnuts
• 2 cups of sugar
• 3 tbsp. of cinnamon
• 1 cup of margarine
• Cold water
• Wooden spoon
• Rectangular, glass baking pan
• Microwave-safe measuring cup
• Sharp knife

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

2. Thaw the phyllo dough on your kitchen counter. Leave it in the box while it thaws. The dough is usually ready to go within 1 to 2 hours.

3. Place the sugar in a small saucepan. Add cold water, 1 tbsp. at a time, until a thick, sludgy paste forms.

4. Heat the sugar paste on your stovetop on medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until all of the sugar melts.

5. Put the margarine in a microwave-safe measuring cup, and then place it in the microwave. Heat the margarine in the microwave on high for 1 minute or until it is completely melted.

6. Pour 3 tbsp. of the melted margarine into the bottom of a rectangular, glass baking pan.

7. Lay eight sheets of phyllo dough in the baking pan.

8. Toss 2 tbsp. of crushed walnuts across the top sheet of phyllo dough. Make sure they are evenly placed.

9. Pour 2 tbsp. of sugar syrup and 2 tbsp. of melted margarine evenly over the walnuts.

10. Sprinkle 1 tsp. of cinnamon evenly over the walnuts.

11. Place four more sheets of phyllo dough on top of the walnuts. Repeat the process of layering walnuts, sugar syrup, melted margarine and phyllo dough until you run out of ingredients. You should end by topping the top sheet of phyllo dough with the remaining sugar syrup and melted margarine (no walnuts on top).

12. Cut the baklava into 4 equal parts, going horizontally across the long part of the baking pan.

13. Make diagonal cuts across each of the four pieces, creating a series of triangles.

14. Bake it for 1 hour.

15. Take your pan out of the oven and allow it to cool for at least 2 hours.

16. Run a sharp knife through all of the cuts you previously made in the baklava to loosen and separate the pieces.

17. Take the baklava pieces out of the pan and arrange them on a large serving platter.

Tips & Warnings

• Make the phyllo dough a little bit easier to handle by brushing it with a little bit of lukewarm water or melted margarine. Use a pastry brush to do this.

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