Baklava

What’s not to love with honey-soaked layers of flaky phyllo dough and nuts! This is a great make ahead dessert for entertaining.

Baklava

Ingredients

2 cups of chopped nuts ( pistachio, walnuts or almonds)

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 package phyllo dough, thawed

2 sticks butter, melted

Syrup

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup water

½ cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cinnamon stick ( optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Chop the nuts into small pieces or process in a food processor. In a bowl, combine the nuts, sugar and cinnamon.

Brush a square baking pan with melted butter. Layer 7 pieces of phyllo dough in the pan and brush the top with some of the melted butter. Sprinkle ¼ of the nut mixture on top of the dough.

Layer another 4 sheets of phyllo, brush the top with butter and add ¼ of the nut mixture. Repeat the process until all the nut mixture has been used. The top layer should be 7 phyllo sheets thick.

Score the top lightly into a diamond or square pattern. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the syrup: Bring sugar, water, honey, vanilla and cinnamon stick to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce to simmer and cook for about 10 minutes or until thickened. Remove the cinnamon stick and cool

Pour the syrup on top of the baked baklava and cool before cutting.

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