Apple pie baklava

I don't know why I've been having this recipe sitting around gathering cobwebs but it's rather selfish of me. I sat here enjoying my apple baklava sensation thinking only of myself, shame shame shame on me. This dessert is not as sweet as your ordinary baklava but rather tart with a hint of sweetness like Apple pie. Serve it as is or with a scoop of French vanilla icecream, I'm telling you all. It's to die for! And I don't just go dying around over nothing. lol


Ingredients
4 large granny smith apples cut into small cubes
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/3 teaspoon nutmeg
1oz bittersweet orange preserve
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
*step 2 ingredients*
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups mixed toasted nuts
2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 pack Phillo dough
1 cup melted butter

Syrup
1/4 cup reserved apple juices
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 inch piece cinnamon
2 cloves
2 inch lemon rind


Directions
Place the all the first ingredients on the list in a heavy saucepan over medium low heat and cook for approximately 5 minutes or just until the apples take in all the spices, make sure NOT to cook the apples until they become soft, they should still have a crunch to them. Remove the filling from the pan and strain the juices. Set the reserved juices aside.

In a food processor, finely pulse the toasted nuts into very small pieces, the bigger pieces of nuts will add texture to the filling while the powderized nuts will obsorb some of the juices from the apples.

Mix the nuts and apples, add the step 2 ingredients and fold to combine.

Preheat the oven to 325* F.

Place the syrup ingredients and reserved apple juices into a saucepan and a stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, Bring to the boil, then boil for a further 10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly.

Brush the base of a 12 x 8in pan with butter. Using the pan as a guide cut the sheets of filo dough to fit the pan exactly. Place one sheet of pastry into the pan and brush with melted butter then repeat until you have used half of the pastry sheets. Cover the remaining pastry with a clean dish towel and set aside. Spread half of the filling over the pastry and cover with 3 to 4 layers of filo, brushing with butter as you go. Spread the remaining filling over the pastry, finish by using the remaining sheets of filo brushing with melted butter as you go. Finally brush the top of the pastry liberally with butter, ensuring that you cover the whole surface.

Using a sharp knife, carefully mark the pastry into squares, almost cutting through the filling. Bake in a preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.

Once the baklava is baked, pour 1/3 to 1/2 of the strained syrup over the baklava and leave to soak for a few hours. Cut the baklava into squares and serve with some of the reserved syrup and top with chopped toasted nuts.