Baklava Recipe

• ½ cup of white sugar
• ½ cup of water
• 4 tablespoons of runny honey
• ½ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 250 grams / 9 oz of chopped walnuts
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• ¼ cup of white sugar

• 12 sheets of filo pastry
• 100 grams / 4 oz of butter, melted

Sugar Syrup

Add the sugar, honey, lemon juice and water to a saucepan over a gentle heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, momentarily bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Filling

In a small bowl mix together the chopped walnuts, cinnamon and sugar for the filling.

Assembly

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F or gas mark 4). Grease a shallow baking tin approximately 30cm x 20cm x 5cm (12 inch x 8 inch x 2inch) with a little of the melted butter. Cut the sheets of filo in half vertically (longest edge nearest you). Stack the pastry and keep it covered with a slightly damp cloth. Generously butter each pastry sheet and layer 8 sheets of pastry on the bottom of the tin. Spread half the filling over the pastry evenly, then butter and stack another 8 sheets of filo. Put the filo on top and spread on the rest of the filling. Butter and stack the last 8 sheets of filo and put these on top. Brush generously with the remaining butter. Using a sharp knife cut the baklava into 20 small diamonds. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Lower the heat to 150ºC (300°F or gas mark 2) and bake for a further 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes. Pour the cold syrup over the pastry and leave until completely cold. Gently cut through the pastry again with a sharp knife and carefully lift each diamond out onto a serving platter. Serve the Baklava with strong black coffee.

Baklava will keep well for several days in a container, stored in the refrigerator.

Makes 20