Step 1

Preheat the oven to 175C/350 degrees F.

Step 2

Mixed the well-chopped walnuts with the ground cinnamon, cardamom, and salt. Set aside in a bowl.

Step 3

Melt the vegan butter and place in a bowl next to you.

Step 4

Get the filo pastry and using one filo sheet at a time, place it on a worktop and brush it with the melted butter.

Step 5

Add 2-3 tbsp of the walnut mixture to the bottom of the filo sheet. Roll the filo over the walnut mixture once, then fold around 1/2 inch of both sides of the filo sheet to seal the sides so the mixture doesn't fall. Continue rolling tightly around the edges. Brush with a little more vegan butter and place in a baking tray.

Step 6

Repeat until you use all the filo sheets.

Step 7

Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava rolls in half so you have smaller rolls.

Step 8

Bake the baklava for 45 minutes, until golden. If the baklava top starts to darken too quickly, cover with aluminium foil and continue baking until the time is up. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes.

Step 9

While the vegan baklava is cooling down, it's time to make the vegan syrup. Place all syrup ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Step 10

Remove the cinnamon stick, the orange and lemon peel and stir a couple of times. Pour the vegan syrup over the baklava while it's still in the baking tray.

Step 11

Let the baklava cool at room temperature, uncovered!

Step 12

Serve with crushed pistachio if using. Enjoy!