serves
10
prep
1 hour
cook
40 minutes
difficulty
Mid
serves
10
people
preparation
1
hour
cooking
40
minutes
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
Syrup
- 250 g caster sugar
- 250 ml water
- 120 g honey
- Juice of half a lemon and zest
- 9 cloves
Dome
- 400 g walnuts
- 200 g almonds
- 100 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 250 g butter, melted
- 375 g
Before you begin this Fillo Pastry recipe, take your Fillo Pastry out of the fridge for at least 2 hours, still in its plastic bag and allow it to come up to room temperature.
Instructions
1. For the syrup, combine the sugar, honey, lemon juice and zest, cloves and water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes, then set aside to cool.
2. For the filling, process the walnuts in a food processor until coarse (be careful not to over-process the mixture). Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with the almonds, then add them to the walnuts along with the cinnamon and caster sugar. Mix well and set aside.
3. To make the first layer (this layer will create our “top layer” of the dome cake), generously brush a stainless-steel bowl with some of the melted butter. Take one sheet of fillo pastry and brush liberally with butter. Lay it across the bowl ensuring it fits and sides hang over slightly. Repeat with another sheet of buttered fillo and lay it on top of another sheet to form a cross. Repeat this process with another eight sheets of fillo pastry. The aim is to cover the base of the bowl, making sure all layers are buttered well. Fill this layer with half the nut mixture pressing it down ensuring it is compact and neat.
4. For the second layer, (this layer creates a barrier and uses 4 sheets of fillo), take one sheet of fillo and brush liberally with butter. Fold it in half and place over the nut mixture ensuring it is tucked in well. Repeat with the remaining 3 sheets of fillo and then fill this layer with the remaining nut mixture.
5. The third layer ends up becoming our bottom layer of the dome. The aim is to make sure our dome holds together and is sturdy for presentation. Take one sheet of fillo and brush liberally with butter. Lay it across the nut mixture and proceed with the remaining fillo to create a base for the dome. Once all the sheets are used, fold any overhanging sheets across to make a “seal” and brush with extra butter. Pierce the dome with a skewer 5 times and bake in a preheated 180°C oven for 30 mins until the top is golden.
6. Once the dome is removed pour half the syrup over the bottom making sure the syrup is absorbed. Turn the bowl over and place the fillo dome on a cooling rack. Pierce the top of the dome 10 more times and pour the remainder of the syrup. Allow to cool before decorating with cloves and glacé orange slices. Serve in slices and enjoy.
Notes
• Remove fillo pastry from fridge at least 2 hours before commencing recipe and allow to reach room temperature in its packaging.
• The stainless steel mixing bowl used to create the “dome” measured 22 cm and had a 7-cup capacity.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
