Walnut and pistachio baklava

This layered filo treat is very rich, so cut it into small pieces. Makes up to 60 pieces Ready in 11⁄2 hours + cooling

4 cups mixed shelled walnuts and pistachios

1⁄2 cup caster sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon 1⁄2 tsp ground cloves 1⁄4 tsp ground nutmeg

250g butter

500g filo pastry

For the honey syrup:

11⁄2 cups caster sugar

1 cup water 1⁄2 cup clear honey 1⁄2 cinnamon quill

Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated

2 Tbsp lemon juice

5 drops rose water (optional)

Method

Pulse or chop nuts to a coarse, sandy crumb. Don’t process to a fine flour consistency, you want a little texture. Mix together prepared nuts, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in a bowl and set aside.

Gently melt butter in a small pot over a low heat. Remove from heat and allow to cool a little. Carefully pour clear melted butter into a jug, leaving any milky sediment behind.

Brush a 32cm x 24cm x 5cm oven dish with some of the butter and cut filo pastry so it will fit neatly inside. Cover filo stack with a damp tea towel to stop it drying out. Line base of the dish with a quarter of the filo sheets, brushing each sheet lightly with melted butter as you go.

Sprinkle onethird of the nut mixture over filo, shaking dish gently to spread out. Repeat the layering, each time using a quarter of the filo and butter, and a third of the nut mixture. Finish with a filo layer and a final brushing of butter on top of the last sheet. Chill to firm up the baklava so it’s easier to cut (about 20 minutes).

Preheat oven to 170degC fan bake. When baklava is firm use a sharp knife to score it, right through to the base layer, into diamonds about 4cm x 3cm or 5cm x 3cm. Bake until the top is deep golden brown (about 1 hour). Cover loosely with tin foil if it’s browning too quickly.

While the baklava is baking, make the honey syrup. Combine sugar, water, honey and cinnamon quill in a pot over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to very low and simmer syrup, uncovered, for 20 minutes, skimming off any white foam that floats on the surface. Remove syrup from heat, discard cinnamon quill and stir in lemon zest, juice and rose water, if using.

Remove baklava from oven, cool for 23 minutes, then slowly drizzle warm syrup over the top. Cool completely in the tin (but don’t chill) and stand for at least 12 hours before serving. To serve, cut down through score marks. Keeps for several weeks in an airtight container.