Ingredients
- Syrup:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter cut into 1/4" pieces
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 40 sheets phyllo dough thoroughly defrosted
- 4 cups shelled walnuts pulverized
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
Preparation
Step 1
Melt butter slowly over low heat, without letting it brown, skimming off foam as it rises to surface. Remove the pan from the heat let it rest for 2-3 minutes, then spoon off the clear butter and discard the milky solids at the bottom of the pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and stir the vegetable oil into the clarified butter. Using a pastry brush coat the bottom and sides of a 13x9x2" baking dish with about 1 tablespoon of the mixture. Fold a sheet of phyllo in half, crosswise, lift it up gently and unfold it into the pan. Press the pastry flat fold down the excess around the sides and flatten it against the bottom. Brush the entire surface of the pastry lightly with butter and oil mixture, and lay another sheet of phyllo on top, folding it down and butting int in similar fashion. Sprinkle pastry evenly with about 3 tablespoons of walnuts. Repeat procedure using 2 sheets of butter phyllo and 3 tablespoons of walnut mixture each time to make 19 layers in all. Spread the remaining sheets of phyllo on top and brush the baklava with all the remaining butter and oil mixture. With small sharp knife score the top of the pastry with parallel diagonal lines about 1/2" deep and 2" apart then cross them diagonally to form diamond shape. Bake in middle of oven for 30 minutes or longer. Reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake another 45 minutes, or until the top is crisp and golden brown.
To make syrup combine sugar, water and lemon juice in sauce pan and stirring constantly cook over moderate heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and timing from the moment syrup boils, cook briskly uncovered for about 5 minutes or until syrup reaches a temperature of 220 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the honey. Pour the syrup into a bowl or pitcher and set aside. When baklava is done, remove it from the oven and pour the syrup over it. Cool to room temperature and just before serving cut into diamond shapes.