Baklava

Method

• You'll need a 23 x 33cm/9 x 13 inch Swiss roll tin and a pastry brush.
• Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/Gas 7).
• Melt the butter and, using a pastry brush, generously coat the tin.
• Mix together the chopped nuts, caster sugar and ground cinnamon.
• Lay one sheet of filo pastry in the buttered swiss roll tin, brushing it with butter and sprinkling it with ground almonds.
• Fold over the edges of the pastry to fit into the tin.
• Continue adding layers of pastry, brushing each layer with butter and sprinkling with ground almonds, until half the pastry has been used up.
• Spread the chopped nut mixture over the pastry in the tin, levelling the surface and pressing down well.
• Cover with the remaining pastry, brushing each layer with butter and sprinkling with ground almonds as before.
• Brush any remaining butter over the top.
• Chill for 30 minutes, then cut into triangles in the tin using a sharp knife.
• Put in the preheated oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 190°C (375°F/Gas 5), then bake for 40 minutes until golden and crisp.
• Put the granulated sugar and 200ml | one-third of a pint of cold water in a saucepan.
• Bring slowly to the boil without stirring, then stir in the lemon juice, rose water and honey.
• Leave the syrup to cool.
• Pour the syrup over the hot pastry and leave until completely cold before serving.
• Keep it at room temperature if not serving immediately.