Ah! Baklava! How I love you so. But with brazil nuts? A brazil nut baklava? Surely not. Well, actually yes. It is delightful.
Now baklava is usually made with walnuts, pistachios and sometimes hazelnuts, but this one is a little different. Brazil nuts are really delicious in baklava and instead of the usual spiking with lemon peel I have used orange instead.
You’ll note there’s no recipe for making your own filo. Yes, I know everyone’s making it this week on The Great British Bake Off, but really, stretching pastry over a table isn’t my thing. Least of all because my dining table is mostly covered in Lego and trains and letters from the school. So I buy my filo. And I suggest you do too. Nothing bad will happen to you if you buy it. Paul Hollywood will not appear from a cupboard and clout you with a rolling pin. Mary will not shake her head and purse her lips. (She will secretly applaud you).
Please remember not to cover the baklava once baked as it tends to go all soft and not crunchy-baklava like at all.
Lots of great recipes like this in my books, Recipes from a Normal Mum, (available on Amazon, at The Works, Waterstones, WHSmith, The Book Depository and many smaller outlets) and The Power of Frozen (available through Amazon).
One year ago: Lemon cupcakes with coconut buttercream, Thai spiced sweet potato, squash and coconut soup, Veggie no meatballs, Back to school rocky roadand Popcorn caramel cheesecake.
Two years ago: Black forest brownies, Double orange choc chip bundt cake,Sunshine cake and Bonfire cupcakes.
Three years ago: Hazelnut cupcakes with Nutella buttercream, Red root reblochon bake and a Simple banana cake.
Four years ago: Cherry tomato frittata, Lemon brioche and Death by chocolate cake.
Five years ago: Tiramisu profiteroles, Drunken cherry brandy mincemeatandMacarons.
Six years ago: Easy cheesy pasta, Almond coated chicken and Mince pies for mince pie haters.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 20 or so
- 250g salted butter, melted
- 500g chopped brazil nuts
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 packet filo pastry
- 200g caster sugar
- 250ml water
- 8 tablespoons honey
- 1 large piece of orange peel
Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas mark 4. Butter a 20 x 30cm roasting tray. Stir together the nuts and cinnamon. Unroll the filo pastry (keeping the rest of the filo from cracking by covering in a clean, damp tea towel) and place 2 sheets into the tray. Butter the pastry with the melted butter then add more filo layers until you have 8 altogether, buttering after every two. Sprinkle 3 tbsp of the nut mixture on top. Add another two sheets of filo, paint with melted butter and add 3 tbsp of the nuts. Repeat until you have 8 sheets of filo left. Layer the top 8 sheets as you did the first 8, without any nuts - just butter. Score the baklava using a sharp knife, all the way to the bottom of the tray, in a diamond pattern. Bake for about 50 minutes until golden brown and crisp. In the meantime make the sugar syrup by boiling he sugar and water until the sugar dissolves. Add the honey and orange peel, then simmer gently for a further 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Discard the orange peel. Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately pour the sugar syrup over the top. Leave to cool before serving.
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