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Baklava

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Cuisine Greek

Ingredients
  

The Filling

  • 1 lb nuts, chopped like very coarse coffee grounds. Approx 3 cups. ( see below )
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

The Phyllo

  • 1 lb phyllo sheets
  • 1 cup melted butter, unsalted

The Syrup

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 5 whole cloves ( optional if you're a heathen )
  • 1 tbsp citrus extract ( see below )
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice (or 1 lemon)

Instructions
 

The Filling

  • Run the nuts through a food processor until most are the size of large coffee grounds.
  • Whisk the ingredients together in a bowl, and set aside.

The Phyllo

  • Preheat oven to 350F
  • Using 2 sheets and layer the bottom of the 9x13" baking pan with phyllo.
  • Carefully brush some melted butter on top of the phyllo.
  • Repeat until there are 8 sheets.
  • Spread 1/3 of the nut mixture evenly across the phyllo.
  • Cover with 2 sheets of phyllo, and butter.
  • Repeat spreading the nuts, phyllo, and butter.
  • Layer the top so there are netween 5-8 sheets pf phyllo, buttering each layer.
  • Cut 4 horizontal lines across the length of the assembled baklava, making sure to cut to the bottom of the pan.
  • Make diagonal cuts to form traditional diamond shapes.
  • Optional - pop a whole clove into the middle of each piece.
  • Bake for 35-50 minutes, until the top is golden and crisp.
  • Remove from oven and let cool.

The Syrup

  • While the baklava is baking, boil the sugar and water until the sugar is melted.
  • Add the honey and vanilla, cloves, citrus zest, half the juice.
  • Simmer for 20 minutes,
  • Add the remaining juice, remove from heat, remove the cloves.
  • Let cool to at most 110F before pouring.

Opa!

  • Slowly pour the cooled syrup evenly over the baklava, and let it sit for at least 2 hours before dividing and placing into cupcape papers, or on a serving tray,
  • There are a lot of variables in here, and if the finished product is a bit soggy from "too much" syrup, let it rest longer before serving.

Notes

Walnuts and pistachios are more traditional ( feel free to mix & match ). Other nuts that work are hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, and pine nuts. I don't recommend peanuts, or other ground nuts. 
The normal substitution for 1 tbsp of extract is 4 tbsp of zest or juice. 
1 tbsp orange (or lemon) extract is great, can substitute with zest and  juice of 1/2 orange (2 tbsp of each), or 1 entire lemon (about 1 tbsp zest from 1 lemon). I hate using fruit as a unit of measure.