Phyllo pastry and walnuts are layered together then baked until the pastry is deliciously flaky. A sweet honey syrup is poured over the top which soaks into the baklava and makes every bite heavenly.
Place the walnuts, cinnamon, and cloves in a food processor and pulse until chopped.
Melt the butter in a pan or microwave.
Cut the phyllo pastry in half so that you have 2 9" wide pieces
Assembly
Brush the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with the melted butter. Lay down two sheets of phyllo dough to cover the pan's entire bottom and lightly brush the top with butter. Top with 2 more sheets of phyllo and brush with butter. Repeat this until you have 8 layers of phyllo dough in the bottom of the on.
Sprinkle 1/3 of the walnut mixture into the pan. Top with 2 sheets of phyllo dough and brush with butter. Add two more sheets of phyllo dough and brush with butter, making it 4 sheets total on top of the walnuts. Repeat this process once more so you have another layer of walnuts followed by 4 more sheets of phyllo dough and butter.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 of the walnut mixture over the top of the phyllo dough. Top with 2 sheets of phyllo and brush with butter. Use up the remaining phyllo dough and butter until you run out of phyllo dough.
Cut the baklava three times down the long length so you have 4 equal sections. Then make cuts diagonally so you have diamond-shaped pieces.
Place the baking dish into the oven and bake uncovered for about an hour, or until it is puffed and very golden on the top. Close to the 50-60 minute range, keep a close eye on it so the top doesn't get too dark.
Honey Syrup
While the baklava is baking, prepare the syrup. Heat the water, sugar, cloves, and cinnamon stick in a small pot over high heat just until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the honey, orange extract, and lemon juice. Set aside to cool.
When the baklava has finished baking, remove it from the oven and immediately pour the cool syrup over the top. Let it rest for at least two hours before serving.
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Notes
Originally posted on October 12, 2020Updated on December 7, 2023