20100531

Pistachio and cranberry baklava

160g unsalted butter, melted for brushing
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp rose water essence
1 1/4 cups pistachio kernels
340g craisins
375g filo pastry

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Brush a 25x16x3 cm baking tin with butter. Combine sugar, water, lime juice and honey in a pan and stir over a low heat until sugar is dissolved. Simmer for 5 mins or until syrup thckens slightly. Stir in rosewater essence.
2. Pulse pistachio kernels and craisins in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl, add 2/3 of the syrup and stir until well combined.
3. Put a sheet of filo on a flat surface. Brush with butter and top with another sheet of filo. Repeat 2 more times, ending with a sheet of filo. Fold stack in half. Repeat process with remaining 12 sheets of filo, forming another 2 stacks. Trim and put 1 filo stack in base of prepared tin.
4. Spoon half the pistachio mixture over pastry base. Cover with a pastry stack and repeat and top with remaing stack. Using a sharp knife, mark diamonds in top. Brush with remaining butter. Bake 1 hr or until golden brown and crisp. Pour over remaining syrup. Stand for 2 hours and then cut into diamond shaped pieces.

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