Turkish Baklava

Photo: flickr user Loren Javier

Ingredients

1 1/2 packages phyllo pastry dough

1 1/2 cups melted butter

1 cup (½ lb) walnuts or pistachios or combination

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup heavy cream or light cream

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make syrup first. Mix sugar and water in saucepan; bring to a boil for 30 minutes, until thickened. Add lemon juice, boil another 5 or 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Chop walnuts in blender and mix with sugar; set aside. Melt butter and set aside.

Unfold pastry sheets and cover with wax paper to prevent drying. Use baking pan 11x17 inches and brush each sheet of pastry with butter as it is layered in the pan. After layering half of sheets, spoon in nut mixture, evenly.

Next pour on 1/2 cup cream, butter and layer the remaining sheets. Slice. Pour the remaining half of cream on top. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Remove, pour on cold syrup at once.