Christmas Baklava

A fabulous twist on a classic that is ideal served on a sweet foods Christmas platter.

Serves LOADS!

Christmas Baklava Photo: Allyson Gofton

Ingredients

• 2 cups walnut
• 8 ginger kisses, separated and icing discarded
• ¼ cup each chopped glace green cherries
• ¼ cup chopped glace red cherries
• 2 tablespoons glace mixed peel
• ¼ cup sugar - can be white, soft brown or muscovado
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 375-gram packet filo pastry (24 sheets)
• 100 grams butter, melted
• 24 whole cloves

Syrup

• grated rind and juice 2 large oranges
• 1½ cups sugar
• ¼ dark rum (or more)

Method

1. Roast the walnuts in a 180°C oven for around 10-12 minutes until they are nicely browned. Cool thoroughly. Place in a food processor with the ginger kisses and pulse to chop finely. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in the glace fruit, sugar and spices.

2. Take the filo pastry from the fridge and unwrap. Cover the pastry sheets with a slightly dampened cloth. Remove one sheet of filo at a time. Brush one sheet liberally with melted butter, then place a second sheet on top. Repeat this process with 9 more sheets so that in total you have 11.

3. Place the sheets into the base of a 25cm x 38cm well-greased baking or roasting dish. Sprinkle over half the nut mixture. Take a sheet of filo, brush with melted butter and top with a second sheet of filo. Place on top of the nuts. Sprinkle over the remaining nut mixture.

4. Spread the remaining 11 sheets with butter, layering them together as in point 4. Place on top of the nut filling.

5. Using a sharp, thin, pointed knife, cut the baklava into diamond shapes. Brush the top layer well with butter and spray or sprinkle with water. This will prevent the top layer of filo from curling up. Place a clove in the centre of each diamond shape.

6. Bake at 160°C in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes, then move the baklava up one level for a further 30 minutes. Should the baklava begin to brown too much, cover with foil or brown paper, until the cooking time is finished. While the baklava is in the oven, make the syrup.

7.     Place the grated orange rind in a saucepan. Squeeze the juice and make up to 1½ cups with water. Place in the saucepan with the remaining ingredients. Simmer, stirring over a low heat, until the sugar has dissolved, then simmer gently for 5 minutes. Strain.

8. When the baklava is cooked, remove it from the oven and gently pour over the syrup. Allow to stand until cold, which will take several hours before cutting again and serving. Keep stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.