Fig and cardamom baklava with lemon syrup

Recipe Disclaimer

Tap for method

Ingredients (14)

6	phyllo pastry — sheets
150 g	butter — melted

FILLING:

200 g	pistachio nuts — shelled
300 g	almonds — blanched
3 ml	cardamom — ground
3 ml	cinnamon — ground
50 g	castor sugar
	figs — preserved, finely chopped

SYRUP:

6	orange
700 g	sugar
150 ml	lemon juice
300 g	honey
6	cardamom — pods, bruised
5 ml	lemon — zest only

Tap for ingredients

Method:

Oven temperature: 175°C

Filling
Chop the nuts finely in a food processor. Mix with the ground spices and castor sugar.
Layer six sheets of phyllo pastry, brushing each with melted butter. Cut into four equal pieces. Place one phyllo square into a greased 23 x 18cm baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the nut mixture and half the figs.

Cover with another square of pastry. Top with the remaining filling and figs and then cover with the remaining two squares of pastry.
Score the top of the pastry into rectangles or diamonds with a sharp knife. Bake in a preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until golden and crisp.

Syrup
Cut the peel offt he oranges but leave the oranges whole. Heat 100ml water along with the sugar and lemon juice until the sugar has dissolved. Add the honey and cardamom pods. Stir well, then add the oranges. Simmer for about five minutes, turning the oranges over halfway. Remove from the syrup and set aside.

Continue to simmer the syrup until it reaches 110°C or thread stage (a small amount dropped into cold water will form a thread in the water). Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest.
Pour the syrup over the baklava as it comes out of the oven. Set aside to cool. Slice the poached oranges and serve alongside the baklava.

Serves: 8-10

To receive quick and convenient weekday recipes, join our Easy Weekday Meals mailing list, and for up-to-date trending food, restaurant and wine news subscribe to our Editor’s Weekly newsletter.