DEBBIE’S BAKLAVA

DEBBIE’S BAKLAVA
¾ lb finely chopped walnuts (340 gram)
½ lb chopped blanched almonds, lightly toasted (230 gram)
¾ lb finely chopped pistachios (340 gram)
½ cup icing sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
Mix all the above together.

Preheat the oven to 350º F (180º C).
25 sheets phyllo pastry (about 1 lb.) (454 gram)
1 lb butter (454 gram)

Brush melted butter on the bottom and sides of a large baking pan.
Place 1 sheet of pastry in the pan, brush with butter. Repeat until you have 5 sheets of pastry.
Spread ¼ of the nut mixture over the pastry.
Repeat with another 5 sheets of pastry and ¼ of the nut mixture. Continue until all the ingredients are used, ending with 5 sheets of pastry.
Cut the pastry into diamond shapes.
Pour any left-over butter over the baklava, then place pan into the oven and bake for 1 – 1½ hours until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and pour all the syrup over the baklava.
Let stand (uncovered) overnight.

Syrup:
2 ½ cups sugar
1 ¾ cups water
1 orange rind, finely grated
1 lemon rind, finely grated
5 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup honey

Combine all ingredients except the honey in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
Simmer, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes to thicken syrup.
Remove from heat, pour through a sieve into a large heat-proof jug. Discard spices.
Stir in the honey, then allow to cool to room temperature.
When the baklava comes out of the oven, pour all the syrup over hot baklava.
Let stand (uncovered) overnight.
Recipe posted by Debbie Edwards
Photo: Debbie Edwards