• sugar	1 cup
• water	1 cup
• vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
• lemon juice	1 tablespoon
• ground cinnamon	1 teaspoon
• cloves	3 (optional)
• honey	1 cup
• walnuts, almonds, or pistachios, finely chopped	2 cups
• sugar (optional, for a sweeter filling)	1/4 cup
• phyllo dough (about 16 oz), thawed	1 package
• melted butter	1 cup
• cinnamon stick	1

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with melted butter.

2. In a bowl, mix the chopped nuts, ground cinnamon, and sugar (if using).

3. Unroll the phyllo dough and cover it with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out.

4. Place one sheet of phyllo dough in the greased baking dish and brush with melted butter. Repeat with about 8-10 more sheets, buttering each one.

5. Sprinkle a thin layer of the nut mixture over the buttered phyllo.

6. Add another 5-6 layers of phyllo dough, buttering each one.

7. Repeat the layering process until you run out of nuts. Finish with a top layer of about 8-10 buttered phyllo sheets.

8. Using a sharp knife, cut the assembled baklava into diamond or square shapes. Make sure to cut all the way through the layers.

9. Bake in the preheated oven for about 50-60 minutes or until the baklava is golden and crisp.

10. While the baklava is baking, combine sugar, honey, water, lemon juice, vanilla extract, cinnamon stick, and cloves (if using) in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves.

11.Once the baklava is done baking, remove it from the oven and immediately pour the hot syrup evenly over the baklava, making sure it gets into all the cuts.

12. Allow the baklava to cool completely at room temperature. The syrup will soak in, and the baklava will become moist and flavorful.

13. Once cooled, serve the baklava at room temperature. It can be stored for several days at room temperature or refrigerated.

Baklava