Baklava

Sephardi Kitchen's Note:

This is my favorite recipe for baklava- a decadent Mediterannean/Middle Eastern dessert, made of paper-thin filo dough, nuts, and a honey syrup.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 25 mins
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 24

Yield: 24.0 pieces

• 2 cups honey
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 14 phyllo pastry sheets
• 1 cup melted butter
• 2 cups toasted almonds, and (pistachios or pecans will work too) or 2 cups walnuts (pistachios or pecans will work too)

Directions:

1. In Advance: In a saucepan, bring the honey, water, sugar, orange rind and juice, and cinnamon to a boil. Boil over low heat for 10 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. Grease a shallow baking pan. Line with 4 phyllo sheets, brushing each one with melted butter (use a pastry brush).
3. Spread a layer of ground nuts evenly over the pyllo. Drizzle some melted butter and syrup on top.
4. Cover with 2 additional sheets, brushing each with butter, and repeat this procedure 3 times. Cover the last layer of nuts/butter/syrup with the remaining sheets of phyllo (still brushing every sheet with butter).
5. Press the philo against the rim of the pan, trim with a sharp knife if necessary. Cut through the top layers of phyllo diagonally to make about 24 equal diamond shapes.
6. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Increase the heat to 400 degrees F and bake 10-15 minutes more, or until golden brown.
7. Pour cooled syrup on top and let the baklava cool. Slice all the way through the previous slices to make 24 diamond-shaped bars. Brush the top with the remaining butter.