Walnut Baklava Squares

Ingredients

• Lemon sugar syrup

  260 g granulated sugar

  all in syrup

• 220 g water

  all in syrup

• 20 g lemon juice

  freshly squeezed and strained; all in syrup

• Pastry and filling

  300 g raw phyllo pastry

  20 very thin sheets cut to fit a 23 x 33 cm pan, approximately 300 g after trimming; see sheet-size note

• 140 g unsalted butter

  melted gently, including all pan grease and brushed layers

• 240 g walnuts

  shelled edible weight, chopped into small pieces; divided into two 120 g portions

• 2 g ground cinnamon

  mixed with all the walnuts

Directions

1. Make and cool the lemon syrup

   Combine all 260 g sugar and 220 g water in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Add 20 g strained lemon juice, bring to a gentle simmer and cook gently for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and leave in a heatproof jug to cool completely while preparing the pastry. Do not reduce to a thick caramel; the syrup should remain pourable.

2. Prepare the walnuts, butter and pastry

   Heat the oven to 160°C conventional / 140°C fan. Chop all 240 g walnuts into small pieces rather than a powder, then mix thoroughly with 2 g cinnamon. Divide into two equal walnut portions. Gently melt all 140 g butter, including any butter used to grease the pan. Prepare 20 thin raw phyllo sheets cut to the 23 x 33 cm pan; their combined trimmed weight is approximately 300 g. Keep unused sheets under a dry clean towel with a barely damp towel over it, without wetting the pastry. Follow the pack thawing instructions before starting.

3. Build the buttered pastry and walnut layers

   Brush a thin coat of butter on the pan. Lay in 8 phyllo sheets, brushing each lightly with butter. Spread one half of the cinnamon-walnut mixture evenly over the base. Add 4 more sheets, buttering each, then spread the remaining walnut mixture. Finish with the final 8 sheets, brushing each, including the top. The sequence is 8 sheets / half the walnuts / 4 sheets / remaining walnuts / 8 sheets. Use the full measured 140 g butter across pan and sheets; brush thinly rather than leaving pools.

4. Cut twenty pieces and bake golden

   With a sharp knife, cut all the way through the raw assembled pastry in a grid of 4 columns and 5 rows, making 20 small rectangular pieces. Bake on the middle shelf for about 60–70 minutes until the top is deeply golden and the exposed pastry edges look cooked and crisp. Check after 45 minutes; loosely tent with foil if the top is browning too quickly. Oven and pastry thickness change the timing. The syrup must be cool before the pastry comes out.

5. Syrup the hot pastry and let it absorb

   Set the hot pan on a heatproof rack. Carefully pour all the cooled syrup slowly and evenly over the hot baklava, including along the cuts. Watch for hot steam and keep your face away. Leave the pan uncovered on its rack until cooled, then allow at least 6 hours total resting time for absorption. Keep it protected from dust without trapping steam; do not seal a warm pan. Some syrup can remain at the base.

6. Separate and serve the rested squares

   Run a knife carefully along the existing cuts once the pastry has rested. Lift out one of the 20 pieces with a small spatula and serve with no additional nuts, honey, cream or other garnish. Divide any remaining pan syrup among the pieces. Once completely cool, store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator at 4°C or below and use within 4 days as a cautious untested home recommendation. Let the serving portion lose its refrigerator chill briefly before eating; chilled storage can soften the top.