Baqlawa

submitted by Sister Amena

Ingredients

40 pieces
Oven temp 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Cooking time 35-40 min.

3 Cups ground Almonds
1 cup Finely chopped Almonds
1 cup caster sugar
1 tsp. ground cardamom
10 sheets filo dough
¾ cup melted clarified butter or ghee

Syrup:
2 Cups of sugar
1½ cups water
1 tsp. lemon juice
½ tsp ground cardamom
1 tbsp rose water


Directions

1. Combine ground and chopped almonds with sugar and cardamom.

2. Brush a 10x13 inch baking dish with clarified butter or ghee. Place 3 sheets of filo dough in the dish, brushing each with butter or ghee. Brush top sheet with butter or ghee and sprinkle in 1/3rd of the nut mixture. Top with two more sheets brushing each with butter or ghee. Add another layer of nuts. Top with two more sheets and add another layer of nuts.

3. Top last layer of nuts with three sheets of filo dough buttering each including the top one.

4. Trim edges with a sharp knife and cut carefully though pastry and nut layers in diamond shapes. Pour remaining butter over top.

5. Back on center rack 35-40 min. Raising it one shelf after 30 minutes.

6. Meanwhile prepare syrup. In a heavy pan dissolve sugar in water over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Bring to a boil, add lemon juice and cardamom and boil rapidly for 15 -18 min or until thick. Add rose water and remove from heat.

7. Pour syrup over the hot pastry. Leave for a least 2 hours before cutting and serving.

The syrup above is good and tasty but myself I like the honey syrup!!

2 cups sugar
1 cup honey
2 cups water
1 lemon peel

Bring all ingredients to a boil then simmer for 10 min. Pour warm syrup over hot baqlawa.