Honey Almond Pastries

Posted on | January 20, 2010 | Recipes, Western | 1 Comment

I have very limited experience with fillo pastry and in the past it had been very kind to me up until today. Who knew that once you defrost a packet of fillo that you can’t refreeze to use it next time (even if it’s unopened). I did exactly that and the pastry all stuck together. Luckily I didn’t need a lot of pastry and managed to savage whatever pieces that didn’t stick together. It was so wasteful to throw all that pastry away.

I really have a thing for nuts and pastry, so decided to make these honey almond rolls. It kind of tasted a rolled up bakalava.

Honey Almond Pastry Cigars 1

Honey-Almond Pastries

Adapted from The Australian Women’s Weekly Best Food Desserts

Makes 32

1 1/2 cups toated blanched almonds
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
30g butter, softened
8 sheets fillo pastry
100g butter, melted
1 cup honey
1 tablespoon of lime juice
lime rind
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Grease two oven trays.

2. Blend or precess almonds, sugar, cinnamon, softened butter and 3 teaspoon of water until mixture forms a paste.

3. Cut fillo sheets in half lengthways, then in half crossways; cover fillo rectangles with baking paper, then with damp tea towel. Brush one fillo rectangle with melted butter; using hands, roll 1 level tablespoon of the almond mixture into log shape. Place log at short end of fillo rectangle; roll to enclose mixture, folding in sides after first complete turn. Brush with melted butter. Repeat with remaining fillo rectangles, melted butter and almond mixture.

4. Place pastries, seam-side down, on prepared trays. Bake, uncovered for about 15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, bring honey and lime juice and lime rind to a boil in medium saucepan. Reduce heat: simmer, uncovered, 3 minutes.

6. Add hot pastries, in batches, to honey mixture, turning until well coated; drain on greased wire rack. Sprinkle with seeds; cool completely before serving.

Honey Almond Pastry Cigars