Baklava
165g ground nuts (hazelnuts, almonds or walnuts)
125g chopped nuts (hazelnuts, almonds or walnuts)
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
180g butter or ghee, melted
12 sheets filo pastry
Syrup:
1 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Combine all syrup ingredients in a medium saucepan, stir over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Simmer uncovered without stirring for 5 minutes or until syrup is slightly thick.
1. Grease a 20cm x 30cm tin.
2. Combine nuts, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
3. Brush a sheet of filo with the butter, layer another two sheets on top brushing each piece with more butter. Fold the layered sheets in half, place into pan brush the top of pastry with butter.
4. Sprinkle 1/3 of the nut mixture over the pastry. Continue layering with the remaining pastry, butter and nut mixture ending with a layer of pastry. Trim pastry to fit into pan.
5. Cut 5 strips lengthways through the baklava then cut each strip into 5 at an angle to get a diamond shape. Pour over any remaining butter.
6. Bake in a moderate oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Pour hot syrup over hot baklava. Allow to cool in tin.
Makes approximately 25 serves