Baklava

Make sure to follow directions on the phyllo package to properly thaw out your dough…or it will break when you unroll it and you will become easily frustrated!

If you buy the whole walnuts (its a lot cheaper), throw them into the food processor and pulse a few times until you get a fine chop. Mix the walnuts, cinnamon and cloves and set aside.

Melt butter.

Butter a 9″ x 13″ pan and place 4 sheets of phyllo. Use a pastry brush to brush melted butter on each individual sheet.

Add about 2/3 cups of walnut mixture on top and add 2 more sheets of phyllo, buttering each sheet.

Repeat until you either have only 4 sheets left (which you use for the top layer) or until you are out of walnut mix. I usually come pretty close to using one pack of phyllo (the Athens brand comes with 2 sealed bags).

Cut the baklava in a diamond pattern, making sure to get all the way to the bottom of the pan.

Top with the remaining butter and bake at 350 for 40 minutes (or until top is nicely golden brown).

During the last 10 minutes of baking time, mix the sugar, honey, vanilla, lemon juice and 1 ½ cups of water in a pot and boil for 5 minutes.

Remove any froth off the top and pour over the baked baklava. I don’t end up using all the honey mixture… I usually have about 2/3 of it remaining – so I only use about 1/3 on the batch of baklava.

Serve cold.