Baklava Bars

Do you cringe with fear at the thought of working with phyllo dough? This recipe takes the work out of phyllo but keeps that wonderful crunch.

This was a Betty Crocker prize winner. I love baklava, but it's too much trouble to make very often. This recipe is really simple and tastes remarkably like the real thing.

Makes at least 24 bars

Cookie Base:

• 1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) sugar cookie mix


• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened


• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel


• 1 egg

Filling:

• 1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans


• 1/3 cup granulated sugar


• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened


• 1 teaspoon cinnamon


• 1/8 teaspoon salt


• 8 frozen mini phyllo shells

Glaze:

• 1/3 cup honey


• 2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, softened


• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, packed


• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice


• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon


• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.

In large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, stir nuts, sugar, 1/4 cup butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and the salt with fork until mixture is well mixed and crumbly.

Sprinkle nut mixture evenly over partially baked base. With hands, crumble frozen phyllo shells evenly over nut mixture. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, in small microwavable bowl, microwave 1/3 cup honey, 2 tablespoons butter, brown sugar, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon uncovered on High for 1 minute or until bubbly. Stir in vanilla.

Drizzle honey mixture evenly over phyllo. Cool completely. Cut into bars.

You can drizzle honey over the bars before serving, or you can double the glaze and make them gooier.

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