Method

• 1.
  Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease base and sides of a 20cm round cake pan and line with baking paper.
• 2.
  Cover pastry with a damp tea towel to avoid it drying out while you work. Lay a single sheet of pastry on a benchtop and generously brush with butter. With a long edge facing you, fold widthways twice, into thirds, then brush again with butter. With a short edge facing you, loosely roll into a cigar, then using scissors, halve widthways and place standing upright in prepared pan. Repeat with remaining sheets until the pan is filled. Brush with the remaining butter and bake for 45 minutes, or until golden and crisp.
• 3.
  Meanwhile, place milk, lemon peel and cardamom in a small saucepan and bring almost to the boil. Set aside for 10-15 minutes to infuse. Whisk eggs and honey in a heatproof bowl until pale. Slowly whisk in the milk mixture until combined.
• 4.
  When baklava has baked for 45 minutes, carefully pull out oven shelf and strain egg mixture over cake (discard peel). Bake for another 30 minutes, or until custard is set. Stand in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
• 5.
  Cover pan with a plate and invert pastry out onto plate, then place a serving plate on pastry base and flip pastry back upright.
• 6.
  Serve warm (see note), drizzled with extra honey and sprinkled with pistachios and icing sugar.