Ingredients
This is a large sized baklava, making approximately 65 small pieces
For the pastry
2 packets 375g Antoniou Fillo Pastry
300g unsalted butter, melted
Whole cloves
For the nuts
1kg walnuts with shells
1 cup sugar
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
For the syrup
3 cups sugar
3 cups water
2 cups honey
1 cinnamon quill
The rind of 1 lemon, cut into long strips
10 whole cloves
Method
For this Fillo Pastry recipe, bring your Fillo Pastry up to room temperature while still in its packaging. Preheat your oven to 170 degrees Celsius.
To make the nut mixture
Remove the shells from the walnuts. Place the walnuts on a large baking tray and bake until the walnuts change colour slightly, approximately 20 minutes. Allow to cool then pound them into small pieces using a mortar and pestle.
Place the walnuts into a large bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix well to combine.
To assemble the Baklava
Set aside 8 sheets of Fillo Pastry and cover with a dry tea towel – these sheets will be used for the top baklava layers.
Brush a 35cm round baking dish with butter. Lay one sheet of Fillo Pastry over half of the baking dish vertically, then another sheet on the other side, very slightly overlapping at the centre. (There will be some pastry that overhangs). Brush with butter. Place two more sheets of pastry, this time laying them horizontally, and brush with butter. Repeat this process once again, so that the base has 8 sheets of pastry in total. Sprinkle a thin layer of the walnut mixture over the pastry, ensuring that it covers the entire surface of the pastry, right to the edges of the baking dish.
Lay four sheets of Fillo Pastry over the nuts in the same way that the first sheets were laid – vertically then horizontally, brushing each layer with butter. Repeat this process with the remaining nut mixture and Fillo Pastry (minus the 8 sheets that you set aside).
Finish the baklava by layering the final 8 sheets over the baking tray. Brush liberally with butter. Using a sharp knife, cut the overhanging edges of the pastry to the size of the tin. Cut the baklava into pieces diagonally, almost through to the bottom of the baking dish. Press a whole clove into the top of each piece of baklava.
Splash the top of the baklava with some water. The water will evaporate at the start of the baking process, and will ensure the pastry has a chance to start cooking without burning.
Bake in a preheated oven at 170 degrees Celsius for approximately 90 minutes, or until the Baklava is golden in colour. If the baklava starts to brown too much during this process, cover it with foil. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Shake the pan around so that the edges of the baklava dislodge from the edges of the baking pan.
To make the syrup
While the baklava is baking, prepare your syrup. Place all of the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes, or until the syrup is thick. Set aside to cool slightly.
Once the Baklava has rested for 15 minutes, pour the warm syrup over the baklava, one ladle at a time. Shake the pan around a little to distribute the syrup evenly. Allow the baklava to rest for at least 2 hours before cutting and enjoying.
Watch along to see how John makes his Baklava