Ingredients:

  • 1 lb filo pastry
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 3 cups raw pistachios or walnuts
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar for syrup
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup pure honey
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

  1. Toast the chopped nuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant.
  2. Remove nuts from heat and stir in the cinnamon, cloves, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar; set aside to cool.
  3. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9x13 inch baking pan with melted clarified butter.
  4. Layer 8-10 sheets of phyllo dough in the pan, brushing each individual sheet generously with melted butter.
  5. Spread half of the seasoned nut mixture evenly across the pastry layers.
  6. Continue layering phyllo sheets with butter, adding the remaining nut mixture and finishing with a final layer of buttered phyllo.
  7. Using a sharp chef's knife, pre-cut the baklava into diamond shapes before baking.
  8. Bake the pastry according to the specified temperature until golden brown and crisp.
  9. Prepare the syrup by simmering granulated sugar, water, honey, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a saucepan until thickened; let it cool completely.
  10. Immediately pour the cooled honey syrup over the piping-hot pastry to ensure deep saturation without sogginess.