Our Royal Baklava recipe
Ingredients:
36 sheets of fresh filo sheets (14 x 18 inch size)
300 grams unsalted butter, clarified 300 grams raw, hulled pistachio nuts, ground to a powder 2 tbsp. sugar
For The Syrup:
4 cups water
3 cups sugar
Juice of ½ lemon§
teaspoon of rose water+
For the Drama:
Dried rose petals
Pistachio dust
Directions:
Mix the ground pistachio nuts with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Brush the bottom of your baking pan (14 x 18 inch shallow metal baking pan with butter and sprinkle a few pinches of the ground pistachio nuts over the butter.
Take the first layer of filo and place in the baking dish. Very quickly brush with the melted butter on the first sheet of filo with the butter. Repeat with at least 18 sheets of filo.
Spread the pistachio mixture over the filo sheet and make an even layer ensuring to spoon over right to the edges
Place another layer of filo over the nuts and butter it. Repeat until you finish the last layer. If you have extra butter left, set it aside.
Using a sharp knife or a pastry cutter, gently cut the baklava into even squares or diamond shapes.
This will help make you cut the baklava easily once cooked.
Drizzle the leftover butter over the top. Place the pan in a preheated 395°
F/200° C oven
for 45 minutes.
Once the baklava is in the oven, remove the syrup from the heat and leave it to cool down.
Bake the baklava for about 45 minutes, or until the layers puff up high and the top layers are golden, crispy and translucent.
Make the syrup by combining the water, sugar, lemon juice & rose water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it simmer slowly uncovered while the baklava is still in the oven
After 45 mins, check to see this is cooked is should be crisp and translucent.
Immediately pour the cold syrup over the hot baklava evenly, this should make the syrup solidify around the baklava,
Generously sprinkle more ground pistachios (dust) over the top, and of course those who know us, will know we sprinkle rose petals on everything.
Let your baklava to cool down to room temperature before cutting.
