Christmas Baklava

Method

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/Fan 180ºC/Gas 4. Place all the syrup ingredients in a medium saucepan with 300ml cold water and bring to a gentle simmer. Let it bubble away, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by a third. Leave to cool. (The syrup must be cool when it is poured over the pastry otherwise the pastry will go soggy.)

Blitz the nuts in a food processor until coarse then tip into a bowl and stir through the signature spice.

Lightly grease a 34 x 24cm tin with the melted butter. Gently unfold the filo and cover with a damp tea towel to stop it cracking.

Layer sheets of filo in the tin and brush each layer with melted butter. After 4 layers, scatter over half the nut mixture, repeat with 4 layers of filo, then the rest of the nuts. Top with the last 4 layers of filo then generously butter the top. Cut into 24 square shapes with a sharp knife – ensure the blade goes right to the bottom.

Bake on the middle shelf of the oven on a hot baking sheet for 30–35 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp, reducing the temperature to 170ºC/Fan 150ºC/Gas 3, if the baklava looks as though it is browning too quickly.

Remove the baklava from the oven and spoon half the cooled syrup over the top. Leave for 5 minutes then spoon over the remaining syrup. Allow the baklava to cool slightly before removing with a palette knife.