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

Cut the filo pastry to fit into your baking tray perfectly. Place 5 layers of filo dough one-by-one on the bottom of a rectangle baking pan*, brushing each lightly with the melted vegan butter.

Step 5

Spread 1/4 of the walnut mixture evenly on top.

Step 6

Add another 4 layers of filo pastry one-by-one, brushing each with butter, then add another layer of nuts.My sequence of filo layers was 5 filo layers, 1/4 cups of nuts, 4 filo layers, 1/4 cups of nuts, 4 filo layers, 1/4 cups of nuts, 4 layers, 1/4 cups of nuts,5 filo layers.

Step 7

Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into equal squares.

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. Enjoy!