Turkish honey baklava with almonds

Ingredients:

Honey syrup

• 1 tbsp. honey
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cm fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
• 2 whole star anise

Baklava

• 1 cup melted ghee
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 0.5 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 cup pitted dates
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 tbsp. l. brown sugar
• 0.5 tsp. orange blossom water or 2 tsp. grated orange zest
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• A pinch of coarse salt
• 1.5 cups chopped toasted almonds
• 1 package (450 g) frozen filo pastry, thawed

Preparation:

1. Honey syrup:
   
   In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine honey, granulated sugar, lemon juice, salt, chopped ginger, star anise, and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease a 22x22 cm baking pan with 1 tbsp of melted butter.
3. Baklava:
   
   In a small skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Once the butter has melted, add panko breadcrumbs and granulated sugar. Fry, stirring frequently, for a few minutes until light golden brown. Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl.
4. Place the dates, raisins, brown sugar, orange blossom water, cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the almonds and pulse again until smooth. Transfer the filling to a clean work surface and form into eight thin, 25cm-long bars.
5. Place one sheet of filo on a clean work surface and lightly brush with the remaining melted butter. Place a second sheet of filo directly on top of the first, brush generously with melted butter, and sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon of breadcrumbs. Fold the sheets of dough in half; place one of the date sticks on the short end of the dough and roll up.
6. Transfer the roll to the prepared baking sheet and lay it horizontally. Brush the surface of the roll with the remaining melted butter and repeat with the remaining filo pastry and date sticks. You will need 8 rolls to fill the pan. Brush the baklava again with the remaining melted butter. Using a sharp knife, slice the baklava vertically into three equal pieces, making 24 7-cm (3-inch) pieces. Bake until the baklava is golden brown, about 1.5 hours. Brush the baklava with the remaining melted butter after 30 and 45 minutes of baking. Rotate the pan 180 degrees halfway through baking.
7. Strain the honey syrup. Pour the syrup over the hot baklava immediately and let it cool at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow all the syrup to be absorbed.