Ingredients

The following ingredients have 35 Servings
  • 2 cups finely chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 pound frozen phyllo sheets (about 20 sheets), thawed
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, melted
  • 1 cup honey
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 4 whole green cardamom pods

Instruction

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Butter a 15x10 inch rimmed baking sheet.
  • Mix the walnuts, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
  • Lay the phyllo sheets out on a counter top and cover with a slightly damp towel to prevent them from drying out.
  • Working quickly, place a sheet of phyllo in the prepared pan, brush with melted butter and then place another sheet on top.
  • Continue with sheets, brushing each with melted butter until you have used about half or 10 sheets.
  • Evenly spread the walnut-sugar mixture over the stack of phyllo.
  • Repeat the process of layering the remaining sheets, one by one, brushing melted butter over each sheet.
  • Fold the ends of the sheets over on top of the pastry and brush with melted butter, or gently cut the overhang and discard.
  • Using a sharp knife, cut the pastry through to the bottom into diamond shapes by cutting diagonal parallel lines about 2 inches apart.
  • Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the baklava is golden brown.
  • Meanwhile, make honey syrup by stirring honey with 2/3 cup water, lemon juice, cinnamon and cardamom in a saucepan.
  • Bring to a boil and simmer for 25 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat, remove cinnamom stick and cardamom pods, and set aside to cool slightly.
  • Remove baklava from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
  • Ladle the warm honey evenly over the baklava. Let cool completely before serving.