Name: Baklava
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 120 min
Yield: One 9-inch round baklava
Ingredients: 16 sheets filo/phyllo dough, or 1 package frozen and defrosted; 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted; 1 1/2 cups sugar; 3/4 cup water; 1/4 cup honey; 3 whole cloves; 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 1/2 teaspoons orange blossom water (or orange and lemon peel); 2 1/2 cups walnut halves; 1 cup shelled pistachios; 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon; Chopped pistachios, for dusting (optional)

Method

15 steps

Pulse walnuts, pistachios, and cinnamon until coarsely ground; set aside.
Thaw filo dough if frozen and keep covered with a barely damp towel while working.
Melt butter and generously butter the bottom of a deep 9-inch round pan.
Layer 5 or 6 sheets of filo, dripping melted butter over about every 2 sheets.
Spread one-third of the nut mixture over the filo.
Add 2 sheets of filo, butter them, then add another third of the nuts.
Repeat with 2 more buttered filo sheets and the remaining third of the nuts.
Finish with 5 or 6 filo sheets, buttering about every 2 sheets; coat the top with the remaining butter.
Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour, until the butter firms and the filo is easier to cut.
Cut the chilled baklava into diamond portions before baking.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 1 hour, or until deeply golden brown; begin checking at about 45 minutes.
While the baklava bakes, combine sugar, water, honey, and whole cloves in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir and bring to a boil, stir once boiling, then turn off the heat.
With the heat off, stir in vanilla extract and orange blossom water.
Let the baklava rest for 5 minutes after baking, then ladle the syrup evenly over it while hot.
Cool completely to room temperature before serving. Dust with chopped pistachios if desired.