Baklava with pumpkin halwa filling

Erica of Erica’s Edibles was our host for the Daring Baker’s June challenge. Erica challenged us to be truly DARING by making homemade phyllo dough and then to use that homemade dough to make Baklava


I have not tried Baklavas before and this was my first attempt.I have never tasted it as well.To stick to the theme of Blogging marathon I used Parangikai(Yellow pumkin) Halwa filling for Baklava.The fusion recipe tasted really good.

Ingredients
For phyllo sheets
All purpose flour/maida: 1 1/3 cups
Water: 1/2 cup minus 1 tablespoon
Salt: 1/8 tsp
White vinegar:1/2 tsp
Oil: 2 tablespoon
Melted butter: 1/4 cup (for brushing the phyllo sheets)


For filling
Grated yellow pumpkin: 1 cup
Almonds: 1 cup
Walnuts: 3/4 cup
White sugar/brown sugar:1/4 cup
White sugar: 2 tablespoons
Cardomom powder:1/2 tsp
Ghee: 1 tablespoon


For sugar syrup
Sugar:3/4 cup
Water: 1/2 cup
Cardomom powder:1/4 tsp
Lemon juice: 1 tsp


Procedure:
Step1:
Combine flour and salt and mix well.Add all the wet ingredients (water, oil and vinegar) and knead to soft dough for about 15 minutes

Step2:
Cover it with a plastic wrap and let it rest for 2 hrs

Prepare the filling
Step3:
Meanwhile prepare the filling. Pulse the almonds and walnuts in a food processor

Step4:
Heat 2 tsp of ghee in a pan and fry the grated pumkin for about 5 minutes

Step5:
Add 2 tablespoon of white sugar and cook in low heat for 5 more minutes.

Step6:
Add cardomom and remaining ghee and mix well. Now we are ready with our own pumpkin Halwa

Step7:
Add the chopped nuts and brown sugar to this halwa

Make the phyllo sheets
Step8:
Make small balls out of the dough and roll them as very thin sheets as possible 
Note: This is the most toughest job.Allocate some dedicated time for this

Step9:
Trim them to the size of the baking pan


Assemble the Baklava
Step10:
Take a baking pan (I used loaf pan) and  brush it with butter


Step11:
Place the first sheet at the bottom of the pan and again brush with butter.Like this place 5 sheets

Step12:
Spread  1/3 of the filling and repeat the whole process of layering for 3 times 

Step13:
With a sharp knife cut the baklava into desired shape

Step14:
Bake for 1 hr in  a preheated oven of 350F


Step15:
Prepare the syrup while the baklava is baking. Mix water and sugar and boil until it reaches 1/2 string consistence.Add 1 tsp of lemon juice (to avoid crystalization) and allow it to cool


Step16:
Once the baklava is baked and still hot pour the cool syrup all over.Allow the syrup to be absorbed overnight

Check out what my other friends are doing: 

http://spicingyourlife.blogspot.com/p/blogging-marathon.html