Chocolate Baklava

Recipe View Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 10x14-inch baking pan with butter. (5 minutes)

Recipe View In a bowl, combine the finely chopped pecans, dark chocolate, 3/4 cup sugar, and cinnamon. Mix well to ensure even distribution of ingredients. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Trim the phyllo dough sheets to fit the prepared baking pan. Layer 8 sheets of phyllo dough in the pan, brushing each sheet generously with melted butter. Sprinkle with 2 cups of the pecan-chocolate mixture. Repeat this process, layering 4 more sheets of phyllo (buttering each sheet) and sprinkling with 2 more cups of the pecan mixture. Continue layering with 4 more sheets of phyllo and the remaining pecan mixture. Pour any leftover melted butter evenly over the baklava. (30 minutes)

Recipe View Using a sharp knife, carefully cut through the top few layers of phyllo lengthwise, leaving the bottom layer intact. This will create 4 long rows. Then, make evenly spaced zigzag cuts along each row to form 48 small triangles, again ensuring the bottom layer of phyllo remains uncut. (15 minutes)

Recipe View Bake in the preheated oven until the phyllo dough is golden brown and beautifully flaky, approximately 1 hour. Immediately after removing from the oven, finish cutting all the way through to the bottom layer of the baklava. (60 minutes)

Recipe View In a saucepan, bring the orange juice, honey, water, 1/2 cup sugar, and lemon juice to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the syrup has thickened slightly, about 20 minutes. (25 minutes)

Recipe View Pour the warm syrup evenly over the baked baklava, ensuring it seeps into all the layers. (5 minutes)

Recipe View In the top of a double boiler over simmering water, melt the remaining 2 ounces of semisweet chocolate and 1 teaspoon of butter. Stir frequently, scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to prevent scorching, until smooth and glossy. (10 minutes)

Recipe View Drizzle the melted chocolate artfully over the baklava. Cover the baklava and refrigerate until ready to serve, allowing the flavors to meld and the baklava to firm up. (30 minutes cooling, plus refrigeration)