Pistachio & Almond Baklava

Everyone is invited to try this Pistachio & Almond Baklava recipe. A drizzle of orange syrup makes this Middle Eastern Turkish dessert an irresistible after-dinner treat.

Preparation Time 60 minutes
Cooking Time 55 minutes

Ingredients (serves 24)
Melted butter, to grease
430g (2 cups) caster sugar
185ml (3/4 cup) water
185ml (3/4 cup) fresh orange juice, strained
1 tsp orange flower water
280g (2 cups) pistachio kernels, finely chopped
320g (2 cups) blanched almonds, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
18 sheets filo pastry
250g butter, melted

Preparation
Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a 5cm-deep, 21 x 31cm (base measurement) baking dish with butter to grease. Place the sugar, water and orange juice in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, without stirring, for 20 minutes or until syrup thickens. Transfer to a heatproof jug. Set aside to cool completely. Stir in the orange flower water.

Meanwhile, combine the pistachio, almonds and cinnamon in a bowl. Place the filo on a clean work surface. Cover with a clean tea towel, then a damp tea towel (this will prevent it from drying out). Brush 1 filo sheet with butter and fold in half. Cut into 8 strips crossways. Repeat with another filo sheet and butter.

Brush 1 filo sheet with butter and fold in half. Line the base of the dish with the filo, leaving a gap at one end. Repeat with 3 more sheets of filo and butter. Use 4 of the filo strips to fill the gap.

Sprinkle one-third of the pistachio mixture evenly over the pastry. Continue layering with the remaining filo, butter and pistachio mixture to make two more layers. Finish with a layer of filo.

Use a sharp knife to trim the edges. Score the pastry into 24 squares. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and crisp. Pour over syrup. Set aside for 2 hours to cool completely. Cut into squares to serve.

Try
Middle-Eastern baklava
Baklava Recipe
Coffee Baklava
baklawa (baklava)

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