Ingredients

• Main
• 2 Filo Pastry Packs (2 x 375g)
• 1.2 KG walnuts (roughly 4 x 375 g)
• 150ml vegetable oil
• Topping
• 150ml vegetable oil (for topping)
• 150g unsalted butter (for topping)
• Sugar Syrup
• 1200ml water
• 1kg white sugar
• half lemon (can go a whole just depending on preference)

Directions

Sugar Syrup:

1. Put 1200ml and 1kg sugar to boil
2. Boil for about 20 minutes until completely dissolved and thickening somewhat
3. Add juice of lemon into the mixture, or alternatively (fancier) slice the lemon thinly and add these lemon slices in (these will give you a fancy topping at the end)
4. IMPORTANT: Ensure this liquid is completely cold before using it in further steps. Not lukewarm, but room temperature or COLD. Otherwise the end result will be a chewy baklava.

Main Assembly:

From the first pack of filo, take 4 sheets and store in a bag (for the end). Bag will help retain moisture.

• Grind half the walnuts, and roughly chop the other half (this will give you a combination of textures)
• Brush the dish with oil (to prevent sticking)
• Add 3 layers of filo, lightly brushing each layer with oil, into the dish
• Add a 4th layer, but do not brush with oil, for this layer, add some of the roughly cut walnuts
• Add another layer without brushing
• Add another layer, brushing lightly with oil, add one more filo layer without brushing
• Now add some of the ground and chopped walnuts (both)
• Add another layer, lightly brush with oil, then add a blank layer for your walnuts
• Repeat the layering method until your sheets (Aside from the 4 saved) and walnuts are used up.
• At the end, add 2 filo layers, brushing each with oil
• Put the third layer and push it down with your hand as best you can – ensuring the baklava is compressed
• Once compressed, use a thin and sharp knife to cut rhombus shapes. Hold the baklava down with your hand as you cut, this will make it easier.
• Once you’ve completed cutting, melt the butter and oil together (don’t boil, just melt). Once this is done, quickly brush this across the whole baklava. 
• Now place the last spare sheet on top – this will be discarded at the end but it will protect the baklava from burning. No need to compress this one.

Tips: If you’re putting walnuts on, don’t oil that sheet.

Baking: (Total Baking Time = 50 mins)

1. Pre-heat oven to 200C
2. Cook for 10 minutes at 200C
3. Reduce oven temp to 180C
4. Cook for 30 minutes
5. Increase temperature to 200C
6. Cook for 10 minutes
7. Take it out, and discard the top layer which will be a bit burnt
8. Pour the sugar syrup into the baklava while it’s fresh out of the oven, be careful with pouring, if you pour too quick it will lift up the layers
9. Leave at room temp until cool, then you can place in fridge.
10. Once cold from the fridge, you can eat it – however, the longer you can leave it without touching it, the better the sugar syrup will absorb and the better the result.