Whole Foods Market Bacon Bash Challenge, Part 3: Bacon Blueberry Baklava

Bacon is not only great for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It is also great for dessert too. You can now find bacon in cookies, brownies, and candies and atop donuts and cakes. I thought I would do a play on my favorite Mediterranean pastry, baklava. Baklava is a pastry with layers of fillo dough, butter, chopped nuts, and sweet syrup. To balance the sweetness of this pastry, I wanted to pair some bacon in for the smoky, salty flavor and also add a nice richness. This recipe is great for a family gathering, potluck, or dinner party. I recommend serving this dessert with a rich, robust dark roast coffee.

Bacon Blueberry Baklava by OC Food Diva

24 servings

1 pound Whole Foods Market Blueberry Smoked Bacon

2 ½ cups toasted almonds

14 oz. container Whole Foods Market Dried Blueberries

12 sheets The Fillo Factory Organic Fillo Dough (18” x 13” sheets)

2 sticks 365 Everyday Value Salted Butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

½ cup 365 Everyday Value Organic Maple Syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Heat pan to medium-high heat. Diced bacon and cook until crispy. Place cooked bacon onto paper towels to drain excess fat and cool. Set aside.
3. In a food processor, combine bacon, almonds, and blueberries until finely chopped. Divide into 5 equal portions.
4. Melt butter in microwave (30 seconds to 1 minute). Brush the butter onto a 9” x 13” glass dish.
5. Fold one sheet of fillo dough in half (9” x 13”) and place on the bottom of dish. Brush sheet with melted butter. Repeat fillo dough layer two more times using 3 sheets to complete the layer.
6. Layer one portion of bacon blueberry mixture on top of fillo dough.
7. Fold one sheet of fillo dough in half and place on top of bacon blueberry mixture. Brush fillo dough with melted butter. Repeat the layers of bacon blueberry mixture and fillo dough until all portions of mixture are used.
8. Top the last bacon blueberry layer with three sheets of the folded fillo dough, brushing melted butter between each sheet.
9. To even the baklava out, press gently to remove air pockets.
10. Bake in oven for 50 minutes.
11. While the baklava is baking, you can make the syrup. Mix sugar, water, and maple syrup together and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering for 20 minutes to reduce and thicken the syrup. Turn off heat and set aside.
12. Remove baklava from oven and ladle syrup over the entire dish. It will bubble and sizzle as the dish is very hot. The syrup will soak into the baklava as it cools.
13. Allow baklava to cool to room temperature and serve.

Approximate cost to make this recipe using ingredients from Whole Foods Market: $53.54

Thanks for joining me for the Whole Foods Market Bacon Bash Challenge and hope you enjoy these recipes in your own home!