Almond Butter Baklava

With a delicious nutty filling and warming festive spices, it's the perfect treat for the Christmas season!

Makes: 24

Total time: 1h 30min

What you will need:

• 100g salted date almond butter
• 200g chopped almonds
• 2 x 270g (12 sheets) of filo pastry
• 200g melted butter
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves

For the syrup:

• 200g golden caster sugar
• 100g honey
• 1 cinnamon stick 
• 2 strips of orange zest 

• 1 tbsp rosewater (for a floral hint - optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
2. Place all the syrup ingredients in a medium saucepan with 100ml of water and bring to a gentle simmer. Bubble for 10-15min, until slightly thickened and syrupy, stirring occasionally. Leave to cool.
3. Blitz the almonds in a food processor until coarse, then add the almond butter and stir through the cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves. Set aside.
4. Melt the butter, using a little of it to lightly grease a 21cm x 21cm square cake tin.
5. Layer sheets of filo in the tin and brush each layer with melted butter. After 4 layers, scatter over half the almond mixture; repeat with 4 layers of filo, then the rest of the almond mixture. Top with the last 4 layers of filo, then generously butter the top and sprinkle with chopped almonds. 
6. Cut the baklava into squares using a large, very sharp knife and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
7. When the baklava comes out of the oven, run a knife along the cuts to make sure the pieces are separate, then pour the syrup over the top, allowing it to run into the lines you have cut. The syrup must be cool when it is poured over the pastry otherwise the pastry will go soggy. Leave it to soak in and serve when it’s completely cold. Enjoy!