THE BEST BAKLAVA

Baklava is a delightful dessert made of layers of crispy phyllo dough filled with nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey. Here’s a classic recipe for you to try:

Ingredients:

For the filling:

• 1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (such as walnuts, pistachios, or almonds)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

For the phyllo layers:

• 1 package (16 ounces) phyllo dough, thawed according to package instructions
• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted

For the syrup:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 strip of lemon zest

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the chopped nuts, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg. Mix well and set aside.
3. Place one sheet of phyllo dough in the bottom of the prepared baking dish, letting the edges hang over the sides. Brush the phyllo sheet with melted butter.
4. Repeat layering phyllo sheets and brushing each layer with melted butter until you have used about half of the phyllo dough.
5. Sprinkle half of the nut mixture evenly over the layered phyllo sheets.
6. Continue layering the remaining phyllo sheets on top of the nut mixture, brushing each layer with melted butter.
7. Sprinkle the remaining nut mixture evenly over the top layer of phyllo sheets.
8. Use a sharp knife to cut the baklava into diamond or square shapes, making sure to cut all the way through the layers.
9. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the baklava is golden brown and crispy.
10. While the baklava is baking, prepare the syrup. In a saucepan, combine the water, granulated sugar, honey, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, and lemon zest. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
11. Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately pour the hot syrup evenly over the top, allowing it to soak into the layers.
12. Let the baklava cool completely in the baking dish before serving, allowing the syrup to fully soak into the layers.
13. Serve the baklava at room temperature, and enjoy the delicious layers of crispy phyllo dough, sweet nut filling, and aromatic syrup!