Baklava

MAKES 24 PIECES

2 x 375 g (13 oz) packet of filo pastry

200 g (7 oz) unsalted butter, melted

SYRUP

350 g (12 oz/1 cup) honey

170 g (5¾ oz/¾ cup) caster (superfine) sugar

100 ml (3½ fl oz) orange juice

1 cinnamon stick

3 strips of orange zest

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) water

FILLING

150 g (5½ oz/1½ cups) walnuts

150 g (5½ oz/1 cup) pistachio nuts

150 g (5½ oz) macadamia nuts

grated zest of 1 lemon

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

3 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar

2 teaspoons rosewater

For the syrup: Place all the ingredients in a saucepan over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat and bring to the boil. Once boiled do not stir any more. Simmer gently for 15 minutes or until syrupy.

For the filling: Put all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until well combined and the nuts are finely chopped.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Depending on the size of your baking tin — a 20 x 30 cm (8 x 12 inch) tin is ideal — you may need to cut the filo pastry to size before starting the layering process so that each sheet fits snugly into the tin. You’ll need 36 sheets of filo to fit into a rectangular cake tin. Brush the base of the tin with the melted butter and then lay down one sheet of filo pastry. Brush this sheet with the melted butter then lay down another sheet and brush this with butter. Continue doing this until you have laid down 12 sheets. Now spread half of the nut filling evenly over the filo. Take a sheet of filo and place it over the filling and then brush this with butter, then lay another sheet down and brush this with butter, continue to do this until you have another 12 layers down and then spread the remaining nut mixture over the top of this. Finally lay and butter another 12 sheets of filo but do not butter the very last one.

Cut the baklava diagonally across the pan from left to right every 5 cm (2 inches) and then again from right to left so as to create a diamond pattern — don’t cut all the way through to the base as you want the honey syrup to sit in the baklava and not just on the bottom of it. Put into the oven, spray the top with some water so that it doesn’t burn and cook for 40–50 minutes or until nicely browned and crisp on the top.

Remove from the oven and immediately pour the syrup all over the baklava and listen to it sizzle. Allow to cool overnight and then cut through the bottom and serve.

Keep the sheets of filo pastry covered with a damp cloth while you work so that it doesn’t dry out, or else the sheets will stick together and tear.