Toasted Coconut & Macadamia Nut Baklava with Persian Lime-Honey Syrup

It all started with a dream one night... I'm on a tropical island, the warm breeze gently lifts the wide brim of my sunhat as I lounge in dappled shade beneath the coconut trees.  Strangely, instead of sipping on the prerequisite tropical drink with an umbrella, I'm eating sticky, honey drenched baklava... yes, baklava.  Leave it to my dozing brain to come up with such an non sequitur.

In my attempt to rationalize this odd mash-up of food and locale, I decided that what I was really eating under those coconut trees was a tropical version of baklava complete with coconut, macadamia nuts, and hints of lime.

Toasted Coconut, Macadamia Nut & Persian Lime Baklava


Ingredients
1 pound package of phyllo dough, thawed and trimmed to fit a 9"x13" baking pan
1 cup raw, good quality local honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups + 1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 Persian limes zested
3 cups macadamia nuts
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
1 pinch of salt
1 cup extra virgin coconut oil

Preheat the oven to 350 F and set the rack to the middle position in the oven.

On a rimmed baking sheet, toast the macadamia nuts and coconut flakes for 5-7 minutes until just barely golden brown and fragrant.  Allow the nut-coconut mixture to cool, combine with 1/3 cup of sugar, pinch of salt, and finely chop in a food processor or by hand.

Heat the honey, remaining sugar, lime zest, and 2 cups of water over medium heat and bring to a simmer.  Allow to simmer for 5 minutes, strain, add the vanilla, and reserve.

Heat the coconut oil to bring it to a liquid state.

Cover the phyllo sheets with a slightly damp tea towel

Grease a 9"x13" baking pan with coconut oil.  

Begin assembling the baklava by layering 5 phyllo sheets, brushing each with coconut oil before covering with the next.  Add two tablespoons of the coconut/macadamia nut mixture, cover with two more sheets of phyllo, brushing each with coconut oil, and then another layer of coconut-macadamia nut mixture, and so on.  The last layer at the top should consist of 5 sheets of phyllo each brushed with coconut oil before layering on the next, including the final sheet on top.

With the sharpest knife in your possession, cut the pan into 2"x2" diamond or square shapes, being sure to cut firmly through to the bottom and all the way to the sides of the pan.

Bake the baklava for 35-40 minutes until deep golden brown and toasted.  Immediately pull from the oven and pour the reserved honey-lime syrup over the top of the still hot baklava.  Make sure to drench ever cut and corner of the pan evenly.

Allow to cool and serve sprinkled with addition toasted coconut, candied lime zest, and or macadamia nuts if desired.