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  Canadian Money Brief Bill C-30 just received Royal Assent — and it touches your gas tank, your TFSA neighbour the RRSP, your CPP statement, and your tax return all at once. Here are the five changes that actually matter for your wallet. 1. The Federal Fuel Excise Tax Is Suspended Until September 7 The federal excise tax on gasoline and diesel is paused from April 20 through September 7, 2026 — shaving 10 cents per litre off gas and 4 cents off diesel at the pump. The tax break also extends to aviation fuel. If you're road-tripping this summer, the savings show up automatically; you don't need to do anything to claim it. Just don't expect it to last past Labour Day weekend, since the suspension is scheduled to expire September 7. 2. Home Buyers' Plan Repayment Window Triples — From 2 Years to 5 If you used your RRSP to fund a down payment through the Home Buyers' Plan, the grace period before you have to start repaying yourself is extending from two years to five, ...

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Baklava Recipe

 

 Baklava is a layered phyllo pastry filled with chopped nuts and drenched in a fragrant honey syrup. It’s a beloved dessert with regional variations throughout the Middle East, each featuring different combinations of nuts, spices, and flavorings.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound walnuts (toasted and cooled)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 package phyllo dough (found in the freezer section of most supermarkets)
  • 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter (melted)
  • For the syrup:
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 1 cup water
    • 1 cup honey
    • Juice of 1 lemon
    • Pinch of salt
    • Optional: cinnamon stick and orange rind

Instructions:

  1. Toast the Walnuts:
    • Arrange the walnuts in a single layer on a parchment-covered baking sheet.
    • Bake until fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes. Let them cool until just warm to the touch.
  2. Make the Filling:
    • In a food processor, combine the toasted walnuts, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.
    • Process until the mixture looks like sand and small pebbles.
    • Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and set aside.
  3. Make the Syrup:
    • In a small saucepan, combine granulated sugar, water, honey, lemon juice, salt, and optional cinnamon stick and orange rind.
    • Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the temperature to low and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
    • Let the syrup cool until you’re ready to use it.
  4. Assemble the Baklava:
    • Lay the phyllo on your work surface.
    • Trim the sheets into 8 x 12-inch rectangles to fit the baking dish.
    • Brush melted butter on the bottom of the pan.
    • Add the phyllo, 2 sheets at a time, drizzling with butter after every 2 sheets.
    • On the 14th sheet, add 1/3 of the walnut filling, spreading it evenly.
    • Repeat the layers: 6 more phyllo sheets, another third of the filling, and so on.
    • Finish with 14 more layers of phyllo, not buttering the top layer.
  5. Cut the Baklava:
    • Using a very sharp knife, cut the baklava all the way through the layers.
    • You can keep it simple and make 24 squares or cut each square into a diamond shape.
    • If any butter remains, spoon it into the cut lines.

Enjoy your homemade baklava! It’s buttery, crisp, flaky, and super-sweet — everything you could want in this delightful Middle Eastern treat. 

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