THE BEST CHRISTMAS BAKLAVA

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 pound chopped pecans

1/2 pound chopped walnuts

2-3 tbsp. ground cinnamon

1 pound package of Phyllo dough

1-1/2 cups butter, melted

2-1/2 cups honey

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

CHRISTMAS BAKLAVA INSTRUCTIONS:

1 ) Mix nuts together in a large bowl and toss with the ground cinnamon. Set aside.

2 ) Butter a 9×13 inch baking dish.

Place 2 sheets of phyllo in the bottom of prepared dish. Brush generously with melted butter.

3 ) Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Repeat layers until all the nuts, butter, and phyllo are used.

4 ) End with about 6 layers of phyllo on the top. If you still have some butter left, brush it over the top layer.

5 ) Using a very sharp knife, cut through all layers of the baklava. Cut 3-4 sliced length-wise.

6 ) Then make diagonal cuts to make diamond shapes.

7 ) Bake in a heated 350-degree oven for about 45 minutes, until golden and crisp.

8 ) While baklava is baking, heat honey in a saucepan until close to boiling. Stir in vanilla and lemon zest.

9 ) When baklava is done baking, immediately pour the honey mixture over the top.

10 ) Let cool completely in the pan.