Walnut Baklava

Ingredients

• For the syrup: 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 strip lemon peel and 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• For the baklava: 1 lb walnuts (or a mix of walnuts and pistachios), finely chopped
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1 lb phyllo dough, thawed
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted

Steps

1. Simmer the syrup ingredients 10 minutes, then cool completely. Remove the peel and cinnamon.
2. Heat the oven to 350°F. Mix the nuts, sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Brush a 9x13 dish with butter.
3. Trim the phyllo to fit the dish if needed and keep it covered with a damp towel. Layer 8 sheets in the dish, brushing each with butter.
4. Sprinkle a third of the nuts over. Add 6 more buttered sheets, another third of the nuts, 6 more sheets and the last of the nuts.
5. Finish with 8 to 10 buttered sheets, brushing the top generously.
6. Cut all the way through into diamonds or squares with a sharp knife. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until deep golden and crisp.
7. Pour the cool syrup evenly over the hot baklava right out of the oven. Let it stand uncovered at least 6 hours or overnight before serving.

TipHot baklava plus cool syrup (or the other way around) keeps the layers crisp; if both are hot it turns soggy.