Vegan Date Baklava

Put date syrup (120 ml), water (80 ml) and lemon juice (2 tbsp) (if using) into a small pot and gently bring to the boil.

Simmer on a very low heat until you get a thin syrup that coats the back of a spoon. Set aside to cool down completely.

Soak your pitted dates (350 g) in boiling water for about 20 minutes. Discard soaking water after soaking. Start 20m timer

Place the soaked [pitted dates], almonds (185 g), walnuts (150 g), zest (1 orange), ground cinnamon (1.5 tsp) and fine sea salt (0.25 tsp) in a food processor.

Process until you get a mixture of uniform texture that sticks together, but isn't overly wet. You may need to add a few tablespoons of water (e.g., 6 tbsp / 90 ml) if the dates are very dry. Proceed with caution to avoid a soggy result.

Remove the vegan filo pastry sheets (7 sheets) from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to make it easier to handle. Start 10m timer

Prepare a baking tin by brushing it with a small amount of [mild olive oil]. Wet two clean kitchen towels and wring them both out very well. Pre-heat the oven to 180º C / 355º F.

Trim your [vegan filo pastry sheets] to the size of your baking dish. Use larger trimmings for interior layers. Remove the first sheet of pastry from the packaging (cover the rest with a damp kitchen towel to prevent them drying out) and trim it to size of your dish to use as a template.

Place the first sheet at the bottom of the greased baking dish and brush it lightly with [mild olive oil]. Avoid using too much oil to prevent a greasy baklava. Follow with 3 more sheets, brushing each lightly with [mild olive oil].

Evenly sprinkle half of your filling mixture on top.

Follow with another 3 sheets, constructing extra layers from some of your larger offcuts. If using a 7-sheet packet, aim for 3 extra layers in the middle. Brush each layer with a little [mild olive oil].

Sprinkle the remaining filling and cover with another 3-4 layers of lightly greased [vegan filo pastry sheets]. More layers are generally better.

Lightly oil the top sheet and cut into small pieces with a sharp knife (squares, rectangles, or diamonds).

Bake in a pre-heated oven for about 45 minutes, until the top is nicely browned. Start 45m timer

As soon as the baklava is ready, brush it while still piping hot with the cold syrup. Sprinkle with shelled pistachios (2 tbsp). Freeze any remainder if not consumed immediately.