Spiced Apple Croustades

Thanksgiving is a day where you can eat dessert during dinner (sweet potato pie, anyone?), and still eat bonus dessert after dinner is all over.  It’s a time to eat slowly, and together, with friends and family.  Is your time spent laughing and joking, as was par in my family, or participating in more “mature” grown-up conversation?  Growing up with my comedian of a brother, there really was no other option.  Either way, Thanksgiving is sacred time.  Not sacred in the traditional sense, but sacred as in upheld; a time when cell phones are off, no television commercials blaring in the background, and no reason to run off to the next errand.  A time for the face-to-face conversation with people who hopefully uplift you, or if not, at least people who help you grow.

Thanksgiving also marks the starting point to the holiday finish line.  It’s really the calm before the holiday storm, although it may not feel calm now. Ovens on full whack,  family members stuffed into small kitchens, dishes full of Thanksgiving feast components…  Soon enough, there will be concerts to hear, and parties to throw and attend, and gifts to buy…  And more gifts to buy (as I’ve been reminded by all the gurus of black friday advertising).  After the turkey is roasted, and all food is magically hot and ready to put on the table at the same time (ha!), you can let out a big breath and enjoy just being for a little while before the real craziness ensues.

Speaking of all the upcoming festivities,  now’s the time to put a few tricks up your sleeve. You’re going to need a few show-stoppers in your repertoire.  The kind that people ooh and ahh over, and think you spent hours on.  The kind you want to set on the table underneath a silk scarf, and reveal like a rabbit in a hat.

I first laid eyes on these fancy little croustades in the October issue of Bon Appétit. After a little bit of customization (the original recipe needed a few tweaks to turn out right), I was thrilled with the results.  With a medium amount of effort (ie: not this, but certainly not that)  They emerged from the oven in their own little packages, tops all crackly and crisp, filled with gooey spiced apple.  A dusting of powdered sugar put them over the top, and they tasted as good as they looked.  I served them with chinese five-spice coconut milk ice cream (that’s a whole other subject, for another time), and decided to field test them for you, eating one during breakfast time, snack time, and dessert time.  I’m happy to report with confidence that these croustades are equally suited for breakfast (think apple turnovers) as they are for dessert.

Happy cooking, eating, and conversation today, and remember to keep this little gem in your repertoire for when you need a fancy little bite to add to your upcoming festivities.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Apple Croustades

Loosely Adapted from Bon Apetit

Makes 12 Croustades

The apples mixture can be made and refrigerated a day in advance, so all that will be left to do is to layer the phyllo and assemble the croustades.  It’s hard to find dairy-free desserts at this time of the year, with everything filled with heavy cream and butter.  If you’re lucky enough to be a butter-eater, by all means enjoy, but for my dairy-free friends, the results are equally good with Earth Balance.  Oh, and do be sure to thaw your phyllo dough in the refrigerator overnight, as phyllo doesn’t take kindly to thawing in most other ways.

Filling

3 pounds apples, a mix of tart and sweet

1/4 cup unsalted butter or Earth Balance vegan butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons of cornstarch mixed to a paste with 2 teaspoons water (optional)

Pastry and Assembly

12 13×18-inch sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed (from a 1-pound package)

1 stick butter or Earth Balance Butter, melted and cooled, plus more for pans, at room temperature

1/3 cup (approximately) sugar

All-purpose flour (for pan)

powdered sugar for dusting

Equipment

Standard muffin pan

Preparation

For the filling:

Peel half the apples.  Core and chop all of the apples into 1/2” pieces.

Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat.  Add the apples, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and kosher salt.  Stir to coat.  Reduce heat to medium and cover the pan.  Cook, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes, or until the apples are soft but not mushy.  If much liquid remains, add the cornstarch mixture and stir well.

Set aside to cool completely.  Filling can be made and refrigerated a day in advance.

Assembly:

Preheat oven to 375˚F.

Butter the muffin cups and dust with flour, tapping out excess.

Unroll the phyllo onto a work surface and cover with a damp kitchen towel (squeeze out as much moisture from the towel as you can).

Carefully transfer 1 sheet of phyllo to a clean work surface.  Using a pastry brush, brush the surface of the phyllo with a thin layer of butter, and sprinkle with a generous teaspoon of sugar.  Top with another sheet of phyllo, brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar.  Repeat 2 more times, for a total of four layers of phyllo.Cut the layered phyllo in half lengthwise, then cut both pieces in half crosswise, for a total of four pieces.  Set aside, covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying.

Repeat the process of layering and cutting two more times with the remaining phyllo, butter and sugar, for a total of 12 rectangles.

Arrange the phyllo into each muffin cup, gently pressing the dough down the sides.  Fill each cup with 1/4 cup apple filling.  Gather the edges of the phyllo and press toward the center to make a purse.

Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown on top, 27-35 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly.  Dust with powdered sugar.  To remove from pan, run a paring knife around the edge of each croustade, and lift them out of the muffin cups onto a serving plate.

Croustades can be returned to the muffin pan and re-warmed if needed.

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Vegan Trail Mix Cookies

Once upon a time, a mere 24 years ago, I was a Girl Scout.  My similarly-dressed companions and I met weekly to construct picture frames out of popsicle sticks and paste, act out skits about leaving things better than found, and to sing songs about friendship.  We even camped out in the park, with three shrieking gap-toothed girls and a mom in each tent.  Every Girl Scout had a sash, and donned varying degrees of flair, earned for such tasks as being crafty, selling cookies, swimming and what not.

Serious stuff this girl scouting was, and such extreme sporting called for an extreme snack.  We called it gorp.  The moms gathered ingredients from far and wide; pretzel sticks, colored mini marshmallows, M&Ms, peanuts, raisins, and any number of kid-friendly cereals, all to be expertly shaken up in a big paper grocery bag and distributed by the handful into little ziploc bags.

As fantastic as gorp was, I’ve moved on to less processed snack options.  Like gorp, however, this is a recipe is perfect for when you’re feeling like getting your snack on.  It’s like a granola bar and a cookie all wrapped into one, and reminds me of carrot cake.  The dark chocolate chunks may fool you into thinking you’re eating something completely indulgent.  Go ahead and tell yourself that, but your body will know that this ain’t no white-flour-no-nutrition-at-all indulgence.  It’s filled with whole grains, oats, carrots, and just a few little sweet extras to make it into a little treat.

In the spirit of gorp, feel free to toss in whatever dried fruits or nuts you have on hand–as long as you keep the ratio of liquids to solids the same, you’ll be golden.  I can imagine a salted pistachio honey sweetened cookie as a future improvisation.  If you do a little experimenting, I’d love to hear what variations you come up with!  We may not be girl scouts anymore, and we may not sing songs of friendship (at least not in public), but we’re still bound together as sisters (and brothers) in the spirit of gorp by the universal need to snack!

Vegan Trail Mix Cookies

Adapted from Hope 360, a publication I picked up at the health food store check-out stand

Makes about 30 cookies

1 1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour*

1 cup shredded carrot

1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut (shredded or finely chopped)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted

1 cup dried cranberries or cherries

Preheat the oven to 350˚F.   Mix the flour, oats, sugars, carrot, coconut, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together water, oil, applesauce, and vanilla. Add wet mixture to dry. Stir to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips, pecans, and cranberries.

Scoop the batter by two rounded tablespoons each onto a baking sheet, pushing in any stray pieces. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly golden. Cool for 2 minutes on the pan, and then remove to a rack to cool completely.  Once cooled, the cookies can be stored in an air-tight container for three or four days (that is, if they are not eaten first!).

*If you can’t find whole wheat pastry flour, substitute 3/4 cups all purpose flour and 3/4 cups whole wheat flour.

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cake

Have you ever stalked a recipe?  Checking the webpage daily just to catch a glimpse?  I have been stalking this recipe ever since Annie posted it on her blog two months ago.  This cake is like the motorcycle-riding bad boy (or girl) you know you shouldn’t date, but can’t stop checking out.  Eventually you just give in, and before you know it you’re speeding down the highway, hair blowing in the wind.  The intensity is fleeting, but at least you’ll have a subject for daydreaming, and stories to tell.

My friend Carol recently celebrated a milestone birthday (three whole decades of life!), and since I couldn’t give her a motorcycle-riding bad boy, I decided to bake her a cake.  Now, normally on this blog, you’ll find healthy everyday foods.  Foods that will love you back in the long run.  Day-to-day “I love you’s”, scattered with the sporadic slight indulgence, say, a bouquet of flowers, or the occasional whole-grain spiked chocolate chip cookie.  But, every now and again, we just need to pull out all the stops, and treat ourselves to a tropical Maui vacation.  If life were a vacation, then Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffle cake would not taste so impossibly fudge-y and intense.   Celebrations call for deviation from the norm, in the form of buttercream and ganache!

Now, let’s get one thing straight, before the prospect of making this cake sends you hiding behind a cardboard cake box from your local grocery store.  I’m not a baker.  I am a cook, through and through.  I improvise, I’m disorganized, and I create messes!  The birthday girl Carol, who is in nursing school, says that it is not about learning the facts as much as learning to think like a nurse.  I needed to think like a baker.  For a day (well, two days), I played pastry chef.  First of all, pastry chefs don’t have messy kitchens.  Make kitchen spotless:  Check!  Next, the apron, starched and tied neatly around my waist.  Alright, not starched, and tied slightly off-center, but one can’t change overnight!  What else?  Yes, yes, I know!  Mise en place.  I felt very professional with my ingredients and baking implements lined up like a little infantry across my butcher block.

Have you ever looked at a cake (or a motorcycle-riding bad boy, for that matter), and admired the exterior, just hoping that it is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside?  I’ve been let down by many a bakery cake, adorned with more frosting than Paris Hilton, and leaving just as much substance to be desired on the inside.  This is not one of those cakes.  Some chocolate cakes are just that: chocolate, and more chocolate.  Don’t get me wrong, this cake is rich and chocolatey almost to the point of ridiculousness.  However, each bite is balanced with the fresh lightly glazed raspberry filling, silky ganache, and buttercream with just a hint of raspberry puree to tie the whole package together.  The coffee in the cake is barely perceptible, except for an added layer of complexity, and the texture takes on an almost fudge-y consistency when cool.  As if this weren’t enough of a spectacle, the whole darn thing is topped with a silky chocolate glaze.  Really, when you think about it, why not?

All 14 of us sang happy birthday to the birthday girl, then she carefully cut into the cake, serving each of us a piece topped by a raspberry.  One by one, the cake sent the party guests into euphoria, and one by one, they insisted they couldn’t eat another bite.  Then, one by one, they marched back into the kitchen to have just a little more, as if led by a strange invisible force.

If there remains any question as to the addictive and mania-inducing properties of this cake, I leave you with an excerpt from an e-mail sent by the birthday girl herself.  Subject line, simply, “cake”.

Jenny, I have concerns about you posting my fabulous cake on your blog.  Then, other people will request the honor, and I must admit, I am very selfish, and would like to keep Jenny heaven cake all to myself.  I understand if you still feel compelled to show off, just know that I will be requesting Jenny heaven cake for every birthday from now on.  

If you’re not afraid of being adored for your baking prowess, make this cake.  If you want to be hounded on each of your friends’ and families’ subsequent birthdays, make this cake.  If you want occasional excuses to throw care to the wind to make and eat the richest, best cake you may ever eat, make this cake.  This cake is just as risque as a motorcycle-riding bad boy, but will give you none of the drama.  Make.  This.  Cake!

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cake

Adapted from Annie’s Eats (and followed almost to a “T”)

Serves 14-16

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 1½ cups (4½ oz.) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp. coffee or espresso powder
• 1½ cups boiling water
• ¾ cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 3 sticks (12 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2½ cups plus 2 tbsp. (18¼ oz.) sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1¾ cups plus 2 tbsp. (9¼ oz.) all-purpose flour
• 1¼ tsp. baking soda
• ¾ tsp. salt

For the raspberry filling:

• 16 oz. fresh raspberries, or frozen raspberries thawed
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 1/4 cups water

For the ganache filling:

• 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

For the raspberry frosting:

• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large egg whites
• 21 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup strained raspberry puree (if using frozen raspberries, use the juice remaining after thawing.  If using fresh raspberries, use a food mill to puree, or smash the raspberries through a colander with a wooden spoon)
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract

For the chocolate glaze:

• 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• ¼ cup light corn syrup
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

For garnish:

• Additional fresh raspberries

Directions:

For the cake:  Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Grease and flour the edges of three 9-inch round cake pans, and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper (I used a pencil to trace the bottom of the cake pan onto parchment paper).  Combine the cocoa and coffee/espresso powder in a small bowl.  Add the boiling water and whisk together until smooth.  Allow to cool slightly.  Whisk in the sour cream.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Blend in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed.  Beat in the vanilla.  Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and stir to combine.  With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl in three additions, alternating with the cocoa-sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Beat each addition just until incorporated.

Divide the batter between the prepared baking pans.  Bake 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans about 15 minutes, then transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the raspberry filling:  In a medium saucepan, stir together the water, sugar and cornstarch.  Cook over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken.  Once thickened, remove from the heat and whisk in the lemon juice.  Fold in berries with a spatula.  Cover and chill until ready to use.  (The filling will continue to thicken as it chills.)

For the Ganache:  Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.  Heat the cream in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Immediately remove from the heat and pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate.  Let stand 1-2 minutes, then whisk together until a smooth, thick ganache is formed.  Whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until completely incorporated.  Let the ganache sit to thicken a bit so that it is suitable for spreading and piping.  (To speed thickening, place the bowl in the fridge or freezer and whisk every 10 minutes to ensure even cooling until the desired consistency is reached.)  Transfer about ½ cup of the thickened ganache to a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip about ½-inch in diameter.

Assembling the cake:  Place one of the cooled cake layers on a cake board or serving platter.  Spread ½ cup of the ganache in an even layer over the cake.  Using the reserved ganache in the pastry bag, pipe a border around the perimeter of the cake layer.  This will act as a well to help hold in the raspberry filling.  Spoon some of the raspberry filling inside the ganache border in an even layer (Don’t be shy.  Use more than you think you need.  Some of the raspberry will soak into and meld with the cake layers). Top with another layer of cake and repeat this process, layering with another ½ cup of ganache and additional raspberry filling.  Top with the remaining cake layer.

For the raspberry buttercream:  To make the raspberry frosting, combine the sugar and egg whites in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water (a metal mixing bowl will do the trick).  Heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 160° F and the sugar has dissolved.  Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, adding more once each addition has been incorporated.  If the frosting looks soupy or curdled, continue to beat on medium-high speed until thick and smooth again, about 3-5 minutes more.  Blend in the raspberry puree and vanilla until smooth and completely incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Frost the top and sides of the assembled cake with the buttercream, smoothing the surface as much as possible.  Chill for at least 30 minutes.

For the chocolate glaze:  Place the chocolate in a medium bowl.  Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit 1-2 minutes.  Whisk until the mixture is completely smooth. Whisk in the corn syrup and vanilla.  Pour the glaze into a pitcher or measuring cup and allow to cool for 10 minutes.  (Do not let the glaze cool longer or it may become difficult to pour over the cake.)  Slowly pour the glaze over the cake, ensuring that the top is covered and the glaze drips over the sides.  Let the glaze set about 5-10 minutes.

Garnish the cake with fresh raspberries and chill the cake until ready to serve.

Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I’m sure you’ve met the notorious online grump, spreading bad will to message boards, blogs, and food sites all over the internet.  I imagine his creased forehead connected to his furrowed brows, and lips shaped into the start of a dis-satisfied “harrumph.”  He wears oscar-the-grouch-colored trousers, to match his stinky attitude and unpleasant demeanor.  If there were an online dating site for bad commenters, I could totally see Mr. “Shame on you for posting such a recipe” getting along with Ms. “I substituted this for that, and I changed the cooking method, and I’m so disappointed that it didn’t turn out!”.  Thoughtful, constructive criticism is one thing, but Mr. Grump’s comment almost made me miss out on one of my favorite new ways to make chocolate chip cookies!

First, he chastized Food and Wine for tagging these cookie bars a staff favorite:  “Did anyone on your staff even try these?”  Then, he moved on to describe the dry texture. I half expected them to taste like sawdust.  He ended with “Usually I try to figure out how to improve a recipe but in this case, I wouldn’t be bothered.”  Sometimes, I heed the caution of others, not making a recipe that seems flawed.  This time, I was just too tempted by the prospect of a cookie made with whole wheat pastry flour, and plenty of chocolate and toasted pecans.  I chuckled at the passion at which the reviewer opposed an innocent pan of chocolate chip pecan cookie bars, then broke out the Kitchen Aid mixer.

These were easy to put together, and pretty darn tasty right out of the oven.  The pecans turned sweet and almost buttery when toasted.  I would have expected a denser texture from a cookie bar made using whole wheat flour, but the only telltale sign that the bars were made with whole wheat pastry flour was a more nutty aroma and flavor.  I enjoyed the texture on the day that I baked them–crisp around the edges, and tender on the inside, with pools of dark chocolate wrapped around the toasted pecans.  I thought that I had proved Mr. Grump completely wrong.  To be fair, they were a little drier than I would have liked on the second day. I would make them again exactly as written if I wanted a more crisp cookie, say, to dip into coffee, but for an after dinner chewy cookie treat, I’d have to make a couple changes.  So…the reviewer was neither wrong nor right, but still snarky and disagreeable.

I spent a Sunday afternoon on a mission to add a little more moisture to the dough, because I like my cookie bars to stay chewy for at least long enough for me to eat them all (and share with others!).  On my first try, I added a banana for moisture, and a little extra flour (because I thought the dough was too wet).  Not bad–kind of like a cake-y chocolate chip banana bread cookie, but not quite what I was after.  I added two extra tablespoons of butter to the original recipe on my second try.  When I brought a stack of them to my friends in the teachers’ lounge two days later, they were still nutty, moist and chewy in the center.  Just what I look for in a chocolate chip cookie.

I’m sorry I was so hard on you Mr. Grump.  Would you like a cookie bar?

Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Makes 16 cookie bars

Adapted from Food and Wine

• 1 cup pecans
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, (plus extra for greasing sides of pan)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips (or chunks)

1. Preheat the oven to 350° and line the bottom of a 8-by-11-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Butter the sides of the pan to prevent sticking.
2. Spread the pecans on a cookie sheet and toast for about 8 minutes, until golden. Allow to cool slightly, then chop and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, beat the butter and oil with the granulated sugar and brown sugar until creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth. In a small bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda and salt; beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients gradually on low speed. Add the chocolate chips and pecans.  Mix just until incorporated.
4. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan and press into an even layer. Bake for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool completely, then run a knife around the edges.  Cut and serve.

Walnut Cigars and a “Measure-less Monday”

 

 

The turning of the new year is a time for renewal, self-improvement, and un-attainable goals.  I should be making New Years resolutions…but instead I’m making dessert.

I enter the new year a little nervous, but hopeful for all that it may hold.  I can already tell my measuring cups won’t be neatly leveled off, and my tablespoons may be a bit over-filled, but I’ll gladly take that over the alternative.

And so without further ado, I’d like to introduce the first “Measure-less” Monday.  Cooking in the style of life.  I invite you to trust your instincts, throw most of your care to the wind, and just cook.  Measure-less Mondays won’t happen every Monday–or every other Monday, for that matter…that is not in their nature.  They will be sporadic, and improvised, with a little wiggle room for your own interpretation.

The first Measure-less Monday “recipe” comes from A Platter of Figs by David Tanis, and embodies everything I hope for you and I in 2011.  Honest ingredients like walnuts and honey…celebratory and a little indulgent with butter and sugar, and of course, made complex with a couple surprise ingredients, just like life.

Walnut Cigars

Adapted from A Platter of Figs by David Tanis

Makes 20 cigars (Supposedly.  I made 7 larger cigars)

A Platter of Figs reads like one of my favorite novels. Tanis’ recipes are specific when need-be, but explained in that “little bit of this, little bit of that” way that allows you to trust your instincts.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shelled walnuts, toasted if desired
• Sugar
• Melted butter (about 2 sticks)
• Orange flower water
• Almond extract
• cinnamon
• Phyllo dough from a package, thawed**
• Honey
• Shelled pistachios, chopped (I used salted pistachios and was pleasantly surprised)

Preheat the oven to 375˚F.

Make the Filling:

Chop the walnuts.  Add sugar to taste, and 3 tablespoons of melted butter.  Sprinkle with orange flower water (start with a small amount, taste, and adjust), a few drops of almond extract, and some cinnamon.  Add a splash of cold water (a few tablespoons) and stir.

Roll the Cigars:

For each cigar, brush a sheet of phyllo dough with melted butter.  Fold the sheet in half lengthwise, then brush with butter again.  Place 2 to 3 tablespoons walnuts (or more) in a strip along the short end of the phyllo.  Roll the phyllo around the walnuts (like an eggroll, see photos above).  Place on a buttered baking sheet, side by side but not touching.  Brush with more melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden and crisp.  Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.

Notes:

•I used whole wheat phyllo dough and was very happy with the result!

•To prevent the phyllo dough from drying out (and tearing), cover the stack of sheets you aren’t using with a damp (not wet) paper towel.