Maria’s Baklava

We would love to hear how your Baklava turns out, let us know at: [email protected]

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / gas mark 4.

2. Place the sugar, water, honey, cinnamon stick and orange in a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Let it simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by a third. Leave to cool completely.

3. Blitz the nuts in a food processor until coarse, then tip into a bowl and stir through the cinnamon and cloves.

4. Melt the butter, and use a little of it to lightly grease a 35 x 25cm shallow tin with a pastry brush.

5. Gently unfold the filo and cover with a damp tea towel to stop it cracking.

6. Layer 4 sheets of filo in the tin brushing each layer generously with melted butter, then scatter over half the nut mixture.

7. Repeat this process with 4 layers of filo and the rest of the nuts, although the piece f filo which touches the nuts will need to be brushed both sides with butter.

8. Top in the same way with the last 4 layers of filo, then generously butter the top.

9. Trim any edges of filo which stick out the sides of the tin then cut into diamonds or small squares with a sharp knife, making sure the blade goes right to the bottom.

10. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven on a hot baking sheet for 30–35 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp, reducing the temperature to 170ºC/gas mark 3 if the baklava looks as though it is browning too quickly.

11. Remove the baklava from the oven and spoon half the cooled syrup over the top. Leave for 5 minutes, then spoon over the remaining syrup.

12. Allow the baklava to cool before removing the individual pieces from the tin with a palette knife.