Baklava

Ingredients

• For the nut filling:
• 400g walnuts, roughly chopped
• 200g pistachios, roughly chopped
• 100g blanched almonds, roughly chopped
• 100g caster sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• Zest of 1 orange
• For assembly:
• 500g filo pastry (about 20-24 sheets)
• 300g unsalted butter, melted and kept warm
• For the syrup:
• 400g caster sugar
• 250ml water
• 250g clear honey (Greek if possible)
• 2 strips lemon peel
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

1. First, prepare the nut filling. Place the walnuts, pistachios, and almonds in a food processor and pulse 3-4 times until roughly chopped - you want a mixture of fine and chunky pieces, not a powder. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and orange zest. Mix thoroughly and set aside. The orange zest adds a lovely aromatic quality that cuts through the sweetness.

2. Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C fan/Gas Mark 3). Brush a 30cm x 20cm baking tin generously with melted butter. The lower temperature ensures the filo cooks through without burning.

3. Unroll your filo pastry and trim the sheets to fit your tin if necessary. Cover immediately with a slightly damp tea towel to prevent drying. Take one sheet of filo, lay it in the buttered tin, and brush thoroughly with melted butter. Repeat with 7 more sheets, buttering each layer. These bottom layers create a sturdy, crispy base.

4. Spread half of the nut mixture evenly over the filo base, pressing down gently to compact it. Layer 4 more sheets of filo on top, buttering each one, then add the remaining nut mixture. Press down again gently.

5. Finish with the remaining filo sheets (about 8-10), buttering each layer generously. Brush the top layer particularly well with butter - this creates that beautiful golden finish. Don't skimp on the butter; it's essential for crispy, flaky layers.

6. Using a very sharp knife, cut the baklava into traditional diamond shapes: first cut straight lines lengthways about 4cm apart, then cut diagonal lines to create diamonds. Cut all the way through to the bottom - this is important as you can't cut it after baking. If you prefer, cut into squares instead. You should get about 24 pieces.

7. Place a single clove in the centre of each diamond (optional but traditional). Bake for 50 minutes until deep golden brown and crispy. The filo should be evenly coloured and you'll hear it crackling. If the top is browning too quickly, reduce the temperature slightly.

8. While the baklava bakes, make the syrup. Place the sugar, water, honey, lemon peel, cinnamon stick, and cloves in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes until slightly thickened - it should coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat, stir in the lemon juice, and allow to cool to room temperature. The syrup must be cool when you pour it over the hot baklava - this is crucial for the right texture.

9. When the baklava comes out of the oven, immediately pour the cooled syrup evenly over the entire surface, ensuring it seeps into all the cut lines. You'll hear a wonderful sizzling sound. The hot pastry will absorb the syrup beautifully. Use all the syrup - it might seem like a lot, but the pastry will soak it up.

10. Allow the baklava to cool completely in the tin at room temperature - this takes at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. This resting time allows the layers to set and the flavours to develop. Don't be tempted to refrigerate it, as this can make the filo soggy.

11. Once cooled, cut through the scored lines again to separate the pieces fully. Serve at room temperature. Baklava keeps well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks - if it lasts that long! It's incredibly rich, so one piece per person is usually sufficient. Perfect with strong Greek coffee or a glass of cold water.