

Not just the Middle East, but the world enjoys the crisp and rich flavour of this dessert.



INGREDIENTS
1 phyllo dough (16-ounce package)
2 kg mixed nuts chopped (available at Foodhall)
1 cup butter
1 tsp cinnamon, ground
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ cup honey
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 175 degrees C. Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9×13 inch pan.
Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. - Unroll phyllo dough. Cut the entire stack in half to fit the pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Lace two sheets of dough in a pan, butter it thoroughly.
- Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 – 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top.
Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go on. The top layer should be about 6 – 8 sheets deep. - Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts.
- Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
- While the baklava is baking, prepare the sauce. Boil sugar and water until the sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes
- Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately pour the sauce over it. Let it cool. Leave it uncovered or it might get soggy if it is wrapped up.