Greek Baklava

Recipe View Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking pan. (5 minutes)

Recipe View In a bowl, combine the chopped nuts and cinnamon. Mix well and set aside. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Unroll the phyllo dough and cut the entire stack in half to fit the prepared pan. Keep the phyllo covered with a slightly damp cloth to prevent it from drying out. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Place two sheets of phyllo dough in the pan, brushing generously with melted butter. Repeat this process until you have layered 8 sheets of phyllo. (15 minutes)

Recipe View Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the nut mixture evenly over the phyllo. Top with two more sheets of phyllo, brushing each with melted butter, and then sprinkle with nuts. Continue layering phyllo, butter, and nuts until you have used most of the nuts. The top layer should consist of about 6 to 8 sheets of phyllo, each brushed with butter. (30 minutes)

Recipe View Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamond or square shapes, cutting all the way to the bottom of the pan. You can cut it into 4 long rows and then make diagonal cuts to create diamond shapes. (10 minutes)

Recipe View Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 50 minutes, or until the baklava is golden brown and crisp. (50 minutes)

Recipe View While the baklava is baking, prepare the syrup. In a saucepan, combine sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and honey. (25 minutes)

Recipe View Once the baklava is removed from the oven, immediately and slowly spoon the warm syrup evenly over the hot baklava. Ensure the syrup seeps into all the cuts. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Allow the baklava to cool completely before serving. (60 minutes)

Recipe View Serve in cupcake papers for easy handling. Baklava freezes well; however, leave it uncovered during the freezing process to prevent it from becoming soggy.