Beers, Brats, & Baklava

Last month, I had a fun challenge: To create German inspired baklava. I had once done a Mexican Baklava, so why not try a German one!A friend had posted on my Women’s Networking group the need for a dessert sponsor for an Oktoberfest. Never shying away from a challenge, I stepped up. I had absolutely no clue how I was going to pull of a German baklava!

I decided to Google “German Desserts” and see if I got inspired. I did! There were a few German cookies that used spice, almonds, and marzipan. That seemed perfectly adaptable! Using the same nut measurements, I mixed almonds, cinnamon, and 1/2 a tube of marzipan.

The next one was a no brainer: Apple Strudel. I have to admit, I was a bit nervous to use fresh fruit because there were too many variables that I couldn’t control: Would it make it soggy? Would the apples cook down too much or not enough? Do I add the normal amount of syrup?

I decided to try 3 Braeburn apples and 1 Fuji. Cutting them up tiny and mixing them with lots of cinnamon, sugar, and some cornstarch, I layered them in the middle of the baklava. The whole house smelled like apple pie by the time it was done!

Now it was time to test them to see if they passed the German Baklava Challenge. I brought them down to the SLC Green Drinks event. Frody, the German Brat maker, was the first to try and he gave them 2 thumbs up! The event drew over 200 people and almost 300 pieces of baklava were consumed in about an hour! I consider this challenge a success!