baklava

Make it a day or two ahead of serving/eating, it really gets better as it sits and melds. I "taught myself" how to make it using this recipe, it is so beautiful and so good: http://www.food52.com/recipes/9184_persian_baklava

It seems to have deleted the ingredients list. Here you go:

1½ cups sugar
1½ cups water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2" strip of orange zest
1 cinnamon stick
1 whole clove
2 teaspoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon orange flower water (optional)

Use plenty of butter on your phyllo dough layers. There's no use skimping on it because it's one of the things that makes baklava so delicious! A mix of pecans, walnuts, and pistachios gives nice flavor depth. If you really want to make your baklava stellar, make your own syrup instead of using honey. Here is my father's syrup recipe for his baklava and it never disappoints:

When baklava goes into the oven, make the syrup. Place sugar, water, and corn syrup into a saucepan and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add remaining syrup ingredients, bring to the boil, and boil for 15 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick, clove, and orange zest, and then allow to cool.

Spoon syrup evenly over hot baklava. Sprinkle with ? cup chopped pistachios.

Leave for several hours before cutting again into serving portions.

I like to mix pistachios and walnuts for a more complex flavor and prettier color. And use lots of lemon juice to brighten it up and offset the honey.