Yia Yia’s Baklava

Ingredients

• Syrup:
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 whole cloves
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 1 lemon, juiced, divided
• Filling:
• 1 pound finely chopped walnuts
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted, or more as needed
• 20 sheets phyllo dough

Directions

Stir together water, 2 cups sugar, cloves, cinnamon stick, and 1/2 the lemon juice together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until flavor blends and syrup consistency is reached, about 15 minutes. Stir remaining 1/2 the lemon juice into syrup. Strain and refrigerate until cool, at least 30 minutes.

Stir walnuts, 1 cup sugar, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Brush butter on the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch glass baking dish.

Lay the phyllo dough out on a clean, dry surface and cover it with plastic wrap. Cover the plastic wrap with a damp towel.

Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking dish and lightly brush with butter. Lay another 1 sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with butter. Repeat layering and brushing with butter with 4 more sheets of phyllo dough.

Gently spread 1/3 the walnut mixture in an even layer over the phyllo dough in the baking dish. Place a sheet of phyllo dough over the walnut mixture and brush it with butter. Repeat layering and buttering with 3 more sheets of dough.

Spread another 1/3 the walnut mixture in an even layer over the phyllo dough in the baking dish. Place a sheet of phyllo dough over the walnut mixture and brush it with butter. Repeat layering and buttering with 3 more sheets of dough.

Spread the remaining 1/3 walnut mixture in an even layer over the phyllo dough in the baking dish. Place a sheet of phyllo dough over the walnut mixture and brush it with butter. Repeat layering and buttering with the remaining 5 sheets of dough. Cut baklava into 1-inch diamonds.

Bake in the preheated oven until lightly golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes.

Pour cooled syrup over baked baklava and cool for 1 day to absorb syrup.