Baklava Tartlets with Maple and Walnuts

5 from 1 vote

Baklava Tartlets with Maple and Walnuts

These Baklava Tartlets are the perfect dessert party bites! They're made with gluten free puff pastry, toasted walnuts, and maple syrup.

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Thawing Time:2

Total Time45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: baklava bites, baklava tarts, gluten free tartlets

Servings:

Calories: 181kcal

Author: Christine Rooney

Equipment

Muffin Tin

Ingredients

1 package gluten free puff pastry or regular puff pastry if not gluten free
2 Tbsp. gluten free flour blend or AP flour if not gluten free
2 ¼ cups chopped walnuts unsalted, or nuts of choice
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
¾ cup maple syrup split
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. cardamom
¼ tsp. kosher salt
1-2 lemons zest only

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Remove 1 package of puff pastry from the freezer and allowing it to thaw at room temperature.
Gluten free puff pastry takes 2-3 hours to thaw and regular puff pastry takes about 45 minutes to thaw.
Once thawed, sprinkle 1 Tbsp. gluten free flour blend (or AP flour if not gluten free) on a clean, flat surface. Place 1 sheet of puff pastry on the floured surface and roll it out a bit with a floured rolling pin.
If puff pastry sheet falls apart, simply form it into a ball and roll it out with the rolling pin.
Generously spray a muffin tin with cooking spray to prevent the tartlets from sticking to the pan as they bake in the oven.
Using a 2 inch round biscuit or cookie cutter, cut 12 or so rounds from the puff pastry and place each one into a muffin tin cavity, gently pressing each one down so it forms a slight cup.
Scoop the puff pastry up with your hands and form it into a ball. Flatten the ball and roll it out again with the rolling pin. Use the biscuit or cookie cutter to cut more rounds from the dough.
Repeat this process with the other sheet of puff pastry and continue until all the dough is cut into rounds.
Once the puff pastry rounds have been placed into the muffin tin, pierce each one 2 times with a fork. This will prevent them from 'puffing' as they bake.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place 2 ¼ cups unsalted chopped walnuts (or nuts of choice) in a small cast iron skillet and toast for 5-6 minutes on medium-low, stirring the walnut occasionally to prevent them from burning.
Remove the skillet from the stove top and set aside once the walnuts are fragrant.
Place a small sauce pan on the stove top and heat to medium-low. 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter in the sauce pan and allow it to melt.
Once melted, add ¾ cup pure maple syrup to the pan. Stir the butter and maple syrup until completely combined. Add 1 tsp. each ground cinnamon and cardamom, along with ¼ tsp. kosher salt.
Using a Microplane zester, grate the zest of 1 lemon into the sauce pan. Stir until completely combined.
Cook the maple glaze over low heat for 5 minutes or just until it reaches a low boil, stirring often. It will thicken slightly. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.
Place the toasted walnuts into a large mixing bowl. Pour the maple syrup mixture over the top and stir until the walnuts are completely coated in the syrup.
Place 1 Tbsp. of the maple walnut mixture into each puff pastry round, making sure to add some of the extra syrup mixture at the bottom of the bowl to each of the rounds.
Place the muffin tin on the top rack of the oven and bake for 12-14 minutes. The maple glaze will spread and start to caramelize. Caramelization is just fine, but make sure that the glaze does not burn.
Remove the muffin tin when finished and allow to cool before serving. You may need to run a knife along the edge of each muffin tin cavity to remove the tartlets.
Make sure to generously spray the muffin tin between each batch before baking to prevent the tartlets from sticking.
To Serve: Place the baklava bites onto a serving platter. Add the zest of another lemon and a dash of cinnamon for garnish (optional).

Notes

The maple glaze will run over the sides of puff pastry cups as they bake. Using a muffin tin helps to hold in the glaze and allows it to caramelize.

You can use store-bought phyllo cups if gluten is not an issue for you. Or, you can use store-bought pre-made tart shells in place of puff pastry or phyllo cups.

Nutrition