Baklava

Ingredients:

1 pkg. phyllo sheets
1 pound unsalted butter
2 c. chopped walnuts, almonds,
pistachios or a mixture
1-1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
1-1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp orange blossom water*

Cooking Instructions

First prepare the syrup. Dissolve one and a quarter cups of sugar, half a cup of water and the lemon juice. Simmer this mixture until it becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the Orange Blossom water and simmer another two minutes. Allow to cool a bit and then chill in the fridge. Clarify your unsalted butter to separate and toss out the milk solids. Have your phyllo sheets thawed and ready. Cover the sheets with a damp cloth once they are opened. Mix your chopped nuts with 1/4 cup of sugar. Take a large, deep, baking dish and thoroughly butter the bottom and the sides. Cover the bottom with several layers of phyllo sheets, being sure to coat each sheet with the clarified butter as you layer them. After about eight sheets, sprinkle a layer of the sugared nuts and then repeat the process a couple more times, ending with your last layer of eight or so of the phyllo sheets. Cut into diagonal or diamond shapes before baking for 1/2 an hour at 350° and then for an additional 15 minutes at 400°. Remove from oven and pou COLD syrup over HOT baklava. Let cool before serving.

Note: *Orange blossom water is found in Middle Eastern or Asian Grocery. These look very pretty when the cut pieces are set into a paper liner you'd use for muffins or cupcakes. Baklava only improves in tastes when made a day or two ahead of serving them. Which makes them an ideal dessert to make in advance of company coming.