A drizzle of orange syrup makes this Turkish dessert an irresistible after-dinner treat.
Pistachio & Almond Baklava
This traditional Turkish dessert is a delightful combination of crunchy pistachios, almonds, and flaky filo pastry, all brought together with a sweet orange syrup. It’s the perfect way to end a meal.
Ingredients
- 1 sugar, water and orange juice mixture
- 1 orange flower water
- 1 pistachio, almonds and cinnamon mixture
- 1 filo sheet
- 1 butter
Directions
- 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.