Ingredients

Filo Pastry:

• 400g plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 200ml tepid water
• 30ml olive oil
• cornflour for dusting
• 150g butter, plus extra for greasing (melted)  

Filling:

• 200g shelled pistachios
• 200g walnuts halves
• 60g sugar
• 2 tsp ground cardamon

Syrup:  

• 300g sugar
• 250ml water
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp orange blossom water

Tools

• K-Beater bowl tool
• Food processor attachment
• Baking dish (greased, 20 x 30cm)

Method

1. Fit the K-Beater bowl tool on to the CHEF Titanium then combine the flour and salt in the mixing bowl on a slow speed. When combined, slowly add the water.
2. When the ingredients have started to come together, pour in the oil in a thin stream. Increase to a medium speed and beat for about 3 minutes. 
3. When the dough comes away from the sides and is sticky to touch but does not leave residue on hands, form into a ball and put in a separate bowl and cover with a damp cloth for about an hour to rest. Meanwhile, make the filling. 
4. Using the food processor attachment with the in-bowl blade, add the nuts and pulse until they are coarsely chopped.  Add the sugar and ground cardamom and pulse a few more times to mix.
5. To assemble the Baklava, take the rested dough and cut into 16 equal parts and place on a lightly floured surface. 
6. Melt the butter either in in the microwave for 10-20 seconds or gently in a pan over a low to medium heat. Brush the baking dish sides as well as the base with melted butter.
7. Pre heat oven to 180°C / 350°F /Gas 4
8. Dust the work surface with cornflour and roll the first of the 16 pieces as thin as possible, and as close to a rectangle shape as possible. Pick up the top edge of the dough from surface and it will start to stretch as the bottom weighs it down.
9. Keep holding the dough up from different sides so that it stretches from all angles.  Do not pull the dough to stretch, just let it hang. 
10. Now, with both your hands under the dough, use your knuckles to further stretch it out as thin as a sheet. This is best done without any rings on your hands so as not to get holes in the dough.  You should be able to see your fingers through the pastry. You should aim to get each sheet of pastry dough to measure as close as possible to 20cm x 30cm.
11. As soon as you have stretched the pastry to fit the baking dish, put it on the dish and brush with melted butter.  Repeat this process a further 7 times so you have 8 layers. 
12. Next, spoon and spread the nut mixture over the buttered pastry. Now repeat the rolling and stretching for the last remaining 8 pieces of pastry and placing them over the nuts one at a time, brushing with melted butter in between. Finally, brush the top with melted with butter.
13. Cut through the Baklava to create diamond shapes. Use a sharp knife, making sure you have cut to the bottom.
14. Bake for 25-30 minutes until Baklava is golden and crisp. 
15. Set aside to cool completely.
16. Meanwhile make the syrup. To make the syrup, put all the ingredients for this together in a pan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. 
17. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 15 minutes.
18. Pour the hot syrup over the cooked Baklava. Leave to cool before cutting out the diamond shapes and serving.

Home  >  Recipes