Take a chill pill

When it’s hot outside, what better way to cool down than with a frosty sweet.

BAKLAVA CHEESECAKE CUPS

PREP + COOK TIME 55 MINUTES(+ COOLING) SERVES 16

• 100g pistachios
• ½ cup (110g) caster sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 6 sheets fillo pastry, cut in half crossways
• 50g butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons icing sugar
• 2¼ cups (360g) icing sugar, extra
• 750g cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons rosewater
• 1½ teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
• ¼ cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
• ¾ cup (180g) pomegranate arils (seeds)
• 125g raspberries, torn in half

POMEGRANATE SYRUP

• ½ cup (125ml) fresh pomegranate juice (see notes)
• 1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar

1 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Line two oven trays with baking paper.

2 Place nuts on one oven tray; roast for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a food processor; cool. Process cooled nuts until finely ground. Transfer ground nuts to a small bowl with caster sugar and spices; stir to combine. Wash oven tray to cool; re-line with baking paper.

3 Place one pastry half on each oven tray; lightly brush with melted butter, sprinkle ¼ cup nut spice mixture between the two pastry halves. Repeat the layering with pastry halves, butter and nut mixture, finishing with nut mixture on top. Bake for 15 minutes or until pastry is golden; cool. Dust with icing sugar, then cut baklava into small pieces. Store in an airtight container until needed.

4 Make pomegranate syrup.