Baklava - A Taste of Heaven

I love desserts and sweets ! I have three favorite desserts - Creme Brulee, Tiramisu and Baklava ! This evening I was craving for Baklava but the place I usally buy it from closes at 6pm. What's a girl to do ? why make it of course. I haven't tried to make Baklava before because it always seemed simplier to buy it. Since it's one of my favorite sweets, I thought I better learn in case I am ever somewhere it wouldn't be available. There are so many different recipes out there for this aromatic piece of Heaven. Which type of nut should I use... Walnuts? Pistachios? Almonds? After reading many different versions of the recipe.... I combined all the ingredients that I know I would like best. Here it is ! Oh, one note... if you haven't tried Bakalava before, you don't know what you've been missing. Join the Bak-love-a club!

THE INGREDIENTS:

1 Package of Phyllo Dough

1/2 cup butter

2 cups pistachio, crushed fine

1 tsp cinnamon

Combine crushed pistachio nuts and cinnamon.

**This makes enough to fit a 6x9 pan.

Brush the bottom of a 6x9 brownie sheet with butter, lay two sheets of phyllo down , brush them with butter, repeat the process until you have six sheets down brushing each layer with melted butter. Sprinkle a layer of pistachio over the six layers of phyllo dough. Lay two sheets of phyllo and brush with butter, add another layer of pistachio nuts, repeat the process until no pistachio nuts remain. The last layer of phyllo should be about 6 layers of phyllo dough. Sprinkle the top layer with water so the edges don't curl up while baking. Brush with butter and sprinkle with some of the remaining crushed pistachios. Cut into squares and then diagonally cut to form triangles. Bake in a 350 oven for appromimately 30-40 minutes..depends on your oven. The pastry will be golden when ready.

While the pastry is baking, prepare the syrup.

The Syrup :

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup honey

1 tsp lemon juice

1 TB rosewater - add this after you take the syrup off the heat Plese Don't omit !

Put all ingredients in a pot and cook over medium heat until the sugar disolves.

When the pastry is done baking, remove from oven and drizzle the syrup over the pastry dough. There is about 1 1/4 cup of syrup... I didn't use all it. Just enough to absorb into the pastry. It may look like you have poured too much but it absorbs. Let cool

Enjoy Every Bite - I did !