Ingredients
- FOR THE BAKLAVA
- 8 sheets phyllo pastry
- 1 kg combination of any 2 or 3 of the following: almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts broken into small pieces, lightly toasted and unsalted
- 4.5 tablespoons of granulated sugar powdered in a mixer
- 250 grams butter, melted or unflavored vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon powdered cinnamon
- FOR THE BAKLAVA SYRUP
- Mix together and boil for 10 minutes
- 1 c. water
- 1 cup honey (organic bee friendly honey where possible)
- 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice
- 1 cinnamon stick.
- zest of half a lime or lemon
Instructions
- Set the ingredients for the syrup to boil on a medium flame. Let the volume reduce by half. Switch of flame and strain the syrup. Reserve.
- Combine all the ingredients for the baklava in a mixing bowl. Reserve.
- Preheat oven to 350F
- In a large baking tray place 2 sheets of phyllo at the bottom. brush generously with oil or butter and ensure that the sheets are uniformly greased.
- Lay 2 more sheets over this and butter or oil again from end to end.
- Spread the nut filling all over these sheets.
- Cover with 2 more sheets of phyllo. Oil or butter them from end to end.
- Place 2 more sheets over the baklava and brush with remaining butter or oil.
- Using a sharp kitchen knife cut into the baklava to form 12 equal squares.
- Do this slowly to prevent the sheets from tearing. Your knife doesn't have to go right through all the layers but once the phyllo bakes it will be easier to separate the pieces.
- Bake about 35 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool 30 minutes. Using a knife gently separate the 12 pieces.
- Brush generously with the honey syrup. Ensure that the syrup coats the bottom of the baklava as well.
- This will keep refrigerated for upto 2 days in an airtight container but serve it as soon as you can because in a humid climate the pastry can soften and lose its crispness.
© 2023 All content copyright: Tara Deshpande