Ingredients:

• 500g – filo pastry sheets
• 500 g – rendered Butter (ghee), melted
• 500 g – Walnuts or pistachios, powdered coarsely
• 200 g – sugar, powdered
• 1/4 tsp – all spice, freshly powdered
• 1/4 tsp – cinnamon, powdered
• For syrup:
• 300 g – Sugar
• 3/4 cup – water
• 1 tbsp – Milk
• Few drops – Orange blossom essence

Method:

1. Mix together, sugar, spices and nuts.
2. Use a flat bottomed baking tray into which the pastry sheet will fit.
3. Place one sheet on the tray and brush with ghee.
4. Spread out the nut mixture evenly over the sheet.
5. Repeat the procedure, of sheet and ghee alternating, till all the sheets are used.
6. Brush the uppermost sheet with remaining ghee.
7. Cut in squares or diamonds, using a pizza cutter.
8. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes at 180 degree C, or till the sheets are crisp and light.
9. To proceed:
10. Make syrup of sugar and water, till just under one thread consistency.
11. Use milk to clarify the syrup.
12. Add essence and stir.
13. Strain and pour over cold baklava.
14. Alternatively cool the syrup and pour over hot baklava.

Recipe courtesy of Saroj Kering