Special Occasion

How do I make it?

• Add all Honey Syrup ingredients to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer, without stirring, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
• Make the filling by pulsing the almonds and walnuts in a food processor until finely chopped. Place chopped almonds and walnuts in a bowl with cinnamon, sugar and salt and stir to combine.
• Preheat oven to 150C.
• Brush a 30-centimetre round baking pan with melted butter. Set aside.
• Unroll filo pastry and lay on a work surface, flattening it with your hands. Place the baking pan on top of the pile of filo and use the pan as a template to cut the pastry to fit the pan. Cover filo with clingfilm and a damp tea towel to stop it drying out. Set aside.
• Lay one round of filo in the bottom of the baking pan and brush with melted butter. Repeat with 7 more rounds brushing each with butter. Add 1/3 of the nut mixture over the filo. Add another round of filo and brush with butter. Repeat with 5 more rounds, brushing each with butter.
• Add ½ the remaining nut mix over the filo, then repeat layering of filo and butter for 6 layers. Add remaining nut mix and finish with 8 layers of filo, brushing all but the final layer with butter.
• Gently press the layers with your hands to remove any air pockets, then brush about 4 tbsp butter over the top layer.
• Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into 4 wedges, then cut each wedge in half so that you have 8 wedges. Using the recipe image as a guide, make parallel cuts in the wedges to create a diamond pattern.  Arrange a raw almond on each diamond piece.
• Bake in the oven for 90 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Remove from oven and pour the Honey Syrup over the baklava, allowing it to seep into the cuts. Set aside to cool before serving.