Many Middle Eastern countries consider baklava their own traditional dessert. We're not sure where it was originally invented. We're just glad to experience the sweet flaky goodness.
Baklava
Go nuts for this sweet Middle Eastern dessert.
- 20 mins preparation
- 1 hr cooking
- Makes 30
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Ingredients
Baklava
- 1 1/2 cup (200g) unsalted shelled pistachios
- 2 cup (200g) walnut pieces
- 1/4 cup (55g) caster sugar
- 2 tablespoon fine semolina
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon pinch ground cloves
- 375 gram filo pastry
- 310 gram butter, melted
- 30 whole cloves
Syrup
- 1 cup (220g) caster (superfine) sugar
- 1 cup (250ml) water
- 1 cup (90g) honey
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cinnamon stick
Method
Baklava
- 1Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 20cm x 30cm rectangular pan.
- 2Process nuts, sugar, semolina, cinnamon and ground cloves until chopped finely; transfer to a medium bowl.
- 3Brush 1 sheet of pastry with a little of the butter; top with 7 more sheets, brushing each well with butter. Fold pastry in half, place into pan. Sprinkle pastry with thin even layer of the nut mixture. Layer another 2 sheets of pastry, brushing each well with more butter. Fold pastry in half, place in pan; top with another layer of nut mixture. Repeat layering process until all nut mixture has been used.
- 4Repeat layering and buttering with any remaining pastry sheets; brush the final layer with butter. Score the top lightly in a diamond pattern; press one whole clove in the centre of each piece.
- 5Bake baklava about 50 minutes.
- 6Meanwhile, make syrup: stir ingredients in a small saucepan over heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until thickened slightly. Discard cinnamon; cool syrup.
- 7Pour syrup over hot baklava. Cool before cutting.
Notes
Baklava will keep in an airtight container for up to one week.
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