Cardamon and Maple syrup Baklava

I love parties, it brings together some of my favorite things in the world - friends, food and good times. The other day I was pitching in with dessert for a potluck. I am always the dessert person!Wonder if I would have been a good pastry chef :) So there are few recipes that are actually easy to make, travels well and well appreciated. Fruit cake , Rasmalai  are few of those and Tiramisu and Baklava are the other.  Baklava is here, Tiramisu will be for another day.

Baklava is a Mediterranean dessert made of alternating layers of richly buttered Fillo and slightly sweetened nuts.It is probably the predecessor of our very own Iyengar bakery 'Dil Pasand'. It is usually flavored with spices like cinnamon,nutmeg and the walnut is the nut of choice. I hate walnut, I am from the south and we ain't got any walnut there. So got to try more preferred nuts, what else but almonds and pistachios. I made a small batch, as I always say, our age and activity level deserve ever so small portions of desserts, how  much ever I like making, serving and relishing desserts. If soul craves for something sweet, fulfill the craving but control the portions. I am not one of those who would strike foods off my list just because some MNC sponsored study branded those foods as dangerous. Prudence as much as in eating is what is necessary as it is in personal finance. For now  it is Baklava.

We will need,

Fillo Sheets  4 (cut into fours)
Butter 3 tbsp melted
Almonds 1/4 cup (toasted)
Pistachios  1/4 cup (roasted and unsalted)
Sugar 4 tbsp
Maple syrup
Cardamon seeds from 1 pod

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Thaw the Fillo sheets as instructed. Keep it covered with a wet paper towel.
• Combine almonds, pistachios and sugar in a food processor. 
• Crush the cardamon seeds, discard the skin of the cardamon and throw it into the food processor. Pulse till the mixture is finely chopped, resembling say coarse breadcrumbs.
• Grease a 12* 8 baking dish. Set it aside.
• Melt butter and start working with the fillo. Spread a cut sheet of Fillo on to the greased baking dish, brush melted butter generously. Top it with another fillo sheet and brush melted butter on top.Repeat till you have a layer of four sheets in the baking dish
• Divide the almond mixture into four equal parts. Spread one part evenly on the buttered Fillo layer in the baking dish.
• Start again with the Fillo sheets and place a layer of two sheets.Spread another part of the almond mixture evenly in the baking dish.
• Build layers of fillo and almond-pistachio mixture with the top most and bottom most layers of fillo being 4 sheets thick; while those in between being about 2 or 3 sheets thick.
• Once all the Fillo and almond mixture is used up, cut the Baklava into 12 portions. Make sure to run the knife about three quarters through the layers leaving the bottom layer intact.
• Pop it in the oven for about 30-40 minutes till fragrant and done.
• Remove it from the oven and drizzle the maple syrup on top of the Baklava. Rest the Baklava on the counter for a few hours uncovered. I leave it overnight. Cut into pieces and serve.