Baklava- HHH

So a few years ago, my mother began going on church mission trips to Europe, Africa, and South America. On one of her more recent trips to Turkey, she came home raving about baklava. After a little research, some tweaking, and a few test batches, I think I've hit gold! You can watch me make it here!






Ingredients:


1 (16 oz.) package phyllo sheets, thawed
1 lb. (about 4 cups) walnuts, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup honey
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

1. Thaw phyllo sheets. This will take some time, so I usually put them in the fridge a couple days in advance. 
2. 1. Meanwhile, using your food processor, chop walnuts into small pieces. Add cinnamon and give it another quick pulse to incorporate. Set aside.
3. 2. Combine sugar, water, and honey in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil while stirring frequently. Once mixture has come to a boil and sugar is completely melted, reduce heat and simmer mixture for 4 minutes. Remove from the stove and let cool completely.
4. 3. Melt butter. Before you're ready for assembly, butter a 9-x-13-inch baking pan and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Dampen two kitchen towels and place one onto your work surface. Remove phyllo sheets from the packaging and trim sheets according to your baking pan. My phyllo sheets were about 1/2" too long, so I just cut them every 5 layers or so. Your milage may vary. Place phyllo sheets on a damp kitchen towel and cover with a second one. (Be sure the cloths don't get actual water on the dough or it will stick and fuse together. 
5. 4. For the assembly: {Step 1} Add one sheet of the phyllo dough to the baking pan and brush with melted butter. Repeat process with another 9 phyllo sheets. Until you have a stack of 10 buttered phyllo sheets. Top with 2/3 cup of the chopped cinnamon walnuts. {Step 2} Top walnut layer with another phyllo sheet, butter and repeat until you have a stack of 5 buttered phyllo sheets. Top with another 2/3 cup of the chopped cinnamon walnuts. Repeat {STEP 2} 3 more times. Finally {Step 3}, add another 10 phyllo sheets, buttering each sheet between layering and spreading the remaining butter on top.
6. 5. Cut baklava lengthwise into 1 1/2" wide strips. Then cut diagonally to form diamond shapes. Place baking pan in the oven and bake for 1 hour 15-20 minutes or until top is golden brown. Remove from the oven and immediately pour cool honey syrup over the top, then let cool completely. 
7. Enjoy!