Christmas Baklava Recipe – Page 2

In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped walnuts, pistachios, and almonds. Add the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and orange zest, and stir until the nuts are evenly coated with the spices. Set aside.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with some of the melted butter.
Unroll the phyllo dough and trim it to fit the baking dish if necessary. Cover it with a damp towel to keep it from drying out as you work.

Place one sheet of phyllo dough in the baking dish and brush it with melted butter. Repeat this process, layering and buttering each sheet, until you have 10 layers.
Spread a layer of the nut mixture (about 1/3 of it) evenly over the phyllo dough.
Layer 5 more sheets of phyllo, buttering each one, then add another 1/3 of the nut mixture. Repeat with 5 more sheets, buttering each, then the remaining nuts.
Finish with another 10 sheets of phyllo, buttering each one as you go. Brush the top layer with extra butter.
Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the baklava into diamond or square shapes.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the baklava is golden brown and crisp on top.

While the baklava is baking, make the syrup. In a saucepan, combine the honey, water, sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves, orange zest, and juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.

When the baklava is done baking, immediately pour the cooled syrup evenly over the hot baklava. Make sure to pour the syrup along the cut lines to help it absorb.
Allow the baklava to sit at room temperature for several hours (or overnight) to fully absorb the syrup and set.

Once the baklava has absorbed the syrup, it’s ready to serve. Arrange the pieces on a platter and garnish with a sprinkle of crushed pistachios or a touch of powdered sugar for an extra festive touch.