Baklava with spiced nuts, ricotta & chocolate

Ingredients

• 500g Sugar
• To taste Lemon Juice
• 300g Walnuts
• 200g Pecan Nuts
• 100g Almonds
• 2 tablespoons Ground Cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon Ground Cardomom
• 250g Ricotta
• Zest of 1 Lemon
• Zest of 1 Orange
• 1 tablespoon Vanilla Bean Paste
• 250g Unsalted Butter
• 500g Filo Pastry
• 100g Ground Pistachios

Instructions

1. Start by making the syrup. Place the sugar and 650 ml water in a large saucepan and heat gently, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. 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 the heat and leave to cool completely. Meanwhile, melt the butter gently in a small pan over a low heat for about 5 minutes, skimming off and discarding any foam.
2. For the filling, crush the walnuts, pecans and almonds using a pestle and mortar or food processor, aiming for a mix of fine crumbs and some larger pieces. Tip into a bowl, add the cinnamon and cardamom, mix well and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta with the lemon and orange zests and the vanilla paste until smooth. Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Brush the base of a large baking tray (about 35 × 47 cm) with some of the melted butter.
4. Working with one sheet of filo at a time (keeping the rest covered with a damp tea towel), lay the sheet out with a short edge facing you. Sprinkle about 30 g of the nut mixture evenly over the sheet, then spoon 1 tablespoon of the ricotta mixture along the edge closest to you. Fold the edge over the filling, place a thin skewer along the fold and roll the pastry into a long log.
5. Once rolled and roughly the thickness of a small sausage, hold one end of the skewer and gently scrunch the filo roll like an accordion. Slide it off the skewer and place on the prepared tray. Repeat with the remaining filo and fillings to make about 12 rolls. Cut each roll into 4 pieces for larger baklava or 8 pieces for mini versions.
6. Brush with the remaining melted butter and bake for 20–25 minutes, turning the tray halfway through, until evenly golden. While still hot, immediately ladle over 5–6 ladlefuls of the cooled syrup and leave to absorb.
7. Melt the dark chocolate over a pan of gently simmering water or in the microwave in short bursts. Drizzle over the cooled baklava and finish with a sprinkle of ground pistachios.

instructions_source: editorial-classic