I love baklava, but living in a town like mine, trying to find baklava at a store near you, is like trying to draw water from a stone.

My ex high school teacher’s mum passed some of her cooking books down to me and I came across this recipe in one of the the books.

So knowing me I just had to try it out.

Ingredients for the syrup

• 340g x white sugar.
• 6 x tbsp. honey.
• 340ml x water.
• 1 x tbsp. lemon juice.
• 1 x tbsp. orange essence.

Ingredients for the filling

• 450g x store bough fyllo pastry.
• 120g x rama margarine.
• 120g x chopped walnuts.
• 120g x chopped almonds.
• 120g x chopped pistachio nuts.
• ½ x tsp cinnamon powder.
• 1 ½ x tbsp. white sugar.

Method:

• First make the syrup by combining all the syrup ingredients in a heavy sauce pan.
• Place on a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
• Once all the sugar has dissolved, raise the heat and allow the syrup to boil until it becomes thick enough to coat the spoon. This should take roughly 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool, until thoroughly chilled.
• Grease a square dish and place about 8 sheets of the pastry in the dish, brushing the top of each sheet with the melted margarine before placing the next sheet.
• After you have placed all 8 layers, in another bowl mix the nuts, cinnamon and sugar together.
• Spread the nut mixture evenly over the pastry.
• Place the left over pastry over the nuts and again brush the tops with melted margarine before placing the next layer. Do not brush the top of the last layer.
• With a sharp knife, trace diamond pattern into the top.
• Sprinkle the pastry with water to keep it moist and prevent curling.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 30 – 40 minutes or until the pastry is cooked and the top is golden brown and crispy.
• Remove from the oven and immediately pour the syrup over the top.
• Allow the pastry to cool completely and when cold cut into diamond shapes and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.