Baklava with Spiced Nuts, Ricotta & Chocolate

Ingredients

• 500 gsugar, for syrup
• 650 mlwater, for syrup; quantity taken from instructions
• lemon juice, a few drops; for syrup
• 300 gwalnuts, crushed
• 200 gpecan nuts, crushed
• 100 galmonds, crushed
• 2 tbspground cinnamon
• 1 tbspground cardamom
• 500 gricotta
• 1lemon, zest only
• 1orange, zest only
• 1 tbspvanilla bean paste
• 250 gunsalted butter, melted and clarified; for brushing filo
• 500 gfilo pastry, keep covered with a damp tea towel while working
• 100 gdark chocolate, 100 g is the standard amount for this filling
• 100 gground pistachios, for garnish

Method

1. 1

   Make the syrup: tip the sugar into a large saucepan with 650ml water. Stir over low heat until dissolved, then bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, add a few drops of lemon juice and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Remove from heat and leave to cool.

2. 2

   Clarify the butter: melt it in a small pan over low heat for 5 minutes, skimming and discarding any froth that rises to the surface. Set aside.

3. 3

   Make the nut filling: crush all the walnuts, pecans and almonds in a pestle and mortar or food processor — aim for a mix of fine and chunky pieces. Stir in the ground cinnamon and cardamom.

4. 4

   Make the ricotta filling: mix the ricotta with the lemon zest, orange zest and vanilla bean paste in a separate bowl.

5. 5

   Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Brush a large baking tray (about 35 × 47cm) with melted butter.

6. 6

   Working one sheet at a time (keep the rest covered with a damp tea towel), lay a filo sheet with a short end facing you. Sprinkle 30g nut mixture evenly over the whole sheet, then spoon 1 tbsp ricotta mixture across the near end.

7. 7

   Fold the near end over the filling, then lay a long thin skewer along the fold and roll the pastry around it to create a long roll about the thickness of a chipolata sausage. Scrunch the roll like an accordion, push it off the skewer and onto the tray. Repeat with remaining filo and fillings to make about 12 rolls.

8. 8

   Cut each roll into 4 pieces to make 48 large baklava (or 8 pieces for 96 mini). Brush with the remaining melted butter.

9. 9

   Bake for 20–25 minutes until evenly golden, turning the tray around halfway through.

10. 10

    While the baklava are still hot, immediately pour over 5–6 ladlefuls of the cooled syrup — the syrup should sizzle as it hits the hot pastry. Set aside to cool and absorb.

11. 11

    Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (not touching), or in a microwave in short bursts. Drizzle over the cooled baklava and sprinkle with the ground pistachios.