Baklava
Baklava is a rich, sweet dessert, made of layers of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetened and held together with a sugar syrup. Up until now I have only ever eaten a Croatian version of Baklava, which in all honesty is nothing like this version, it is delicious, but very, very different.
So during our eating around the world adventure I always knew I wanted to try and make a baklava. I have tried some that I have purchased before, but was never really impressed with them. This one however I was pleasantly surprised by, yes it was rich and sweet, but not too rich or sweet.
It was quite easy to make, and the end result looked as a Baklava should look like. My husband absolutely loved it, and he generally is not a dessert person. I like smaller pieces, as it is rich, so next time I would make my diamonds smaller, otherwise I wouldn't change a thing.
So if you have always wanted to try to make a baklava, this one is really nice.
So during our eating around the world adventure I always knew I wanted to try and make a baklava. I have tried some that I have purchased before, but was never really impressed with them. This one however I was pleasantly surprised by, yes it was rich and sweet, but not too rich or sweet.
It was quite easy to make, and the end result looked as a Baklava should look like. My husband absolutely loved it, and he generally is not a dessert person. I like smaller pieces, as it is rich, so next time I would make my diamonds smaller, otherwise I wouldn't change a thing.
So if you have always wanted to try to make a baklava, this one is really nice.
Recipe
Recipe adapted from The Australian Women's Weekly Cookbook 'Greek'
1 ½ cups (200g) shelled unsalted pistachio nuts
2 cups (200g) walnut pieces
¼ cup (55g) caster sugar
2 tablespoons fine semolina
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
375g filo pastry, I like the Antoniou brand
310g butter, melted
Syrup:
1 cup (200g) caster sugar
1 cup (250ml) water
¼ cup (90g) honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cinnamon stick
1 ½ cups (200g) shelled unsalted pistachio nuts
2 cups (200g) walnut pieces
¼ cup (55g) caster sugar
2 tablespoons fine semolina
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
375g filo pastry, I like the Antoniou brand
310g butter, melted
Syrup:
1 cup (200g) caster sugar
1 cup (250ml) water
¼ cup (90g) honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cinnamon stick
Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan forced. Grease 20cm x 30cm lamington pan.
Process nuts, sugar, semolina, cinnamon and cloves until chopped finely; transfer to a medium bowl.
Brush 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 a 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 the nut mixture has been used. Repeat layering and buttering any remaining pastry sheets; brush the final layer with butter.
Score the top lightly in a diamond pattern.
Bake Baklava about 50 minutes.
Meanwhile make the syrup: Stir ingredients in small saucepan over heat until sugar dissolves; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until thickened slightly. Discard cinnamon stick; cool syrup.
Pour syrup over hot baklava. Cool before cutting.
Process nuts, sugar, semolina, cinnamon and cloves until chopped finely; transfer to a medium bowl.
Brush 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 a 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 the nut mixture has been used. Repeat layering and buttering any remaining pastry sheets; brush the final layer with butter.
Score the top lightly in a diamond pattern.
Bake Baklava about 50 minutes.
Meanwhile make the syrup: Stir ingredients in small saucepan over heat until sugar dissolves; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until thickened slightly. Discard cinnamon stick; cool syrup.
Pour syrup over hot baklava. Cool before cutting.
Enjoy!