Baklava

This was definitely my most challenging bake to date but I'm very impressed with myself! 

Packed with walnuts and oozing with super sweet, lemon infused syrup; Baklava is perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth! 


Ingredients

  • 24 sheets of filo pastry in a stack
  • 500g walnuts, finely chopped
  • 250g butter, melted 
  • 1tsp ground cinnamon
  • 200g caster sugar 
  • 250ml water
  • 8 tablespoons honey 
  • 1 large piece of lemon peel 
Equipment
  • 23 x 33 cm baking tray
  • Pastry brush 

Method

  1. Butter the baking tray using the pastry brush and then preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas Mark 4.
  2. Toss the chopped nuts with the cinnamon in a bowl and then put to the side. 
  3. Using a sharp knife or pair of scissors, place the baking tray on the unrolled stack of pastry and cut out the correct size of the tray so each piece of pastry will fit nicely. 
  4. Place two sheets of the filo into the bottom of the baking tray and then butter the top. Repeat this until you have a total of 8 sheets in the baking tray. Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of the nut mixture onto the top layer. Place another two sheets of the filo pastry on top of this, butter the top and then repeat with the nut mixture and 2 sheets of pastry until you only have 8 sheets of filo pastry left. 
  5. Using the same method that you used to begin with; lay down 2 sheets of the filo pastry followed by a painting of butter until you run out of pastry sheets. 
  6. Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamond or square shapes, ensuring to cut all the way to the bottom of the dish. Bake for about 50 minutes until the baklava is gold and crisp. 
  7. While the baklava is baking, make the syrup. In a saucepan, boil together the sugar and water until the sugar has fully dissolved. Add honey and lemon peel. Leave the syrup to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes and then remove from the heat and allow to cool. Remove the lemon peel and discard. 
  8. Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately pour the cooled syrup over it. Leave the baklava uncovered to cool as otherwise it will go soggy.  
  9. Make a cuppa, kick your legs up and enjoy this little moment of joy!
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