D is for Dinner: Mom's baklava

Alex Ibrahim, one of the vendors at the Desserts of the World Festival in Ottawa on Thursday, is sharing his mother's recipe for baklava with All in a Day guest host Stu Mills in honour of Mother's Day this Sunday.

• LISTEN | Ibrahim chats with Mills on All in a Day Wednesday afternoon

Ibrahim's parents moved to Canada in the 1970s and openeda small grocery store, where they made pitas inthe back room. They've moved several timesand now have a grocery store that does food and catering.

Ibrahim took over the family business, Boulangerie Beirut in Gatineau,when his parents retired.

Mom's baklava

Ingredients:

• 1 1lb box of phyllo dough (approx. 20 sheets)
• Butter (or vegetable ghee), slightly melted
• 1 cup ground raw cashews
• 2 cups of sugar syrup (approx. 1:2 sugar:water ratio, melt sugar in boiling water)
• Orange blossom
• Ground raw pistachios

Directions:

1. Place a baking sheet on a 15 x 21 pan. Spread slightly melted butter on baking sheet.
2. Place and butter each individual phyllo dough sheet. Use approximately half of the sheets.
3. Spread the slightly ground raw cashews to cover the entire area of the phyllo sheets.
4. Place and butter the remaining phyllo sheets squarely on top of the cashews.
5. Cut the size and shape you wish to have the baklavas (triangular or square).
6. Bake in the oven at 400F (preferably in a convection oven to allow for more even cooking) for about 20-30 minutes.
7. When the baklavas start to brown, remove from the oven and pour the sugar syrup to cover the entire pan. Allow to soak for a few minutes and return to oven until baklavas are brown and crisp.
8. Remove from the oven and, using a spray bottle, mist orange blossom on the baklavas for aroma.
9. Top off with ground raw pistachios for presentation.