What you read and the very picture you might have just drooled over is, in fact, raw baklava. Made with natural sugars, nuts, and spices. You read it right. I hope you make it, taste it, marvel at it’s delicious wonder and then tell me all about it.

I’ve been sitting on this recipe an entire week. I can hardly believe it myself. I’ve been changing over to the current site which has delayed the introduction of a few tasty dishes. Now, looking at these pictures I want to make them again!

Last weekend, my husband and I had a date night and dined at The Persian House in Portland. It was delicious! I had the vegetable paella, he the lamb paella, and split the Nazkhatun appetizer (eggplant, mint, and pomegranate) and the baklava for dessert. Their baklava was perfect, but I wanted to try it a little bit healthier and see if it could be done as a raw dessert.

   

    

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Raw Baklava

Prep Time: 3 minutes

These will make approximately 24 – 2″ dough rounds per dehydrator tray. I used 3 dough rounds per dessert and the filling will make approximately 1 cup.

Ingredients

    The Dough Layers
  • 1 1/2 cups raw walnuts
  • 1/2 cup golden flax meal
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons raw agave syrup
  • 1 teaspoon cardamon
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons orange juice (1 tsp orange zest could also be used)
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 cup water
    • Sweet Filling
  • 10 plump medjool dates, pitted and soaked in water for 1 hour
  • 1/4 of date juice (reserve from soak water)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 3/4 teaspoon cardamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin coconut oil
  • dash of sea salt
    • Putting it together
  • 48 – 2″ dough layer rounds
  • 1 cup Raw Baklava sweet filling
  • 1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
  • 4 teaspoons honey (will be used in 1/4 teaspoon increments)

Instructions

    The Dough Layers
  1. Add ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor and blend until very smooth.
  2. Divide mixture over 2 teflex sheets and spread into very thin layers. Less than 1/8″, an offset spatula works great for this.
  3. Dehydrate at 145 degrees for 40 minutes to an hour, then drop the temperature down to 105 degrees and continue to dehydrate another 6-8 hours.
  4. Halfway through the dehydration flip crust onto the dehydrator screens and remove the teflex sheets. Score the crust with into desired shapes. I used a round 2″ cookie cutter. Save the scraps for snacking, of course.
  5. When done the texture will be pliable but firm.
    6. Sweet Filling
  6. Add the ingredients to a blender and blend until a thick paste is formed.
    7. Putting it together
  7. This recipe will make 16 desserts and is layered in a way similar to lasagna.
  8. Start layering with a dough round, 1 teaspoon of baklava filling, 1/4 teaspoon pecans, dough round, 1 teaspoon of baklava filling, 1/4 teaspoon pecans, 1/4 teaspoon honey, and the final topping of a dough round
  9. Take your remaining baklava sweet filling and add it to a pastry bag with a rose tip and embellish the top of each dessert. If you have any remaining nuts, sprinkle those on top for a final touch!
  10. They are absolutely ready to eat right now – BUT – if you want them warmed up, try the dehydrator for an hour or 2.
  11. They will keep for a week if they aren’t eaten before then.
  12. Enjoy!
http://feedyourskull.com/2011/09/20/raw-baklava/

Cheers to your future dessert!

What favorite dessert would you like to give a healthy makeover to?