Baklava Walnut Honey Layers

In a medium bowl, combine the finely chopped walnuts, ground cinnamon, and optional ground cloves. Mix these ingredients thoroughly until the walnuts are evenly coated with the spices. Set this fragrant mixture aside.

In a saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, water, and honey. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes until the syrup slightly thickens. Stir in the fresh lemon juice, then remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool completely to room temperature.

Preheat your oven to 325F (160C). Lightly brush a 9x13 inch baking pan with a generous amount of melted butter. Carefully lay one sheet of phyllo dough into the pan, then lightly brush its surface with melted butter. Repeat this process for 8-10 layers, ensuring each phyllo sheet is properly buttered to create crispy layers.

Evenly spread about one-third of the prepared walnut mixture over the buttered phyllo layers in the pan. Cover this walnut layer with 2-3 more sheets of buttered phyllo dough. Repeat this step twice more, layering another third of the walnuts, followed by 2-3 buttered phyllo sheets, and finally the remaining walnuts.

Top the final walnut layer with 8-10 more sheets of phyllo dough, brushing each sheet generously with melted butter. Once all layers are in place, use a sharp knife to carefully cut the baklava into your desired shapes, such as diamonds or squares. Make sure to cut all the way through to the bottom of the pan.

Place the baking pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top layers are beautifully golden brown and crispy. Keep an eye on it to prevent over-browning.

Immediately upon removing the hot baklava from the oven, slowly and evenly pour the completely cooled honey syrup over the entire surface. The hot baklava will absorb the cool syrup, creating a moist and flavorful dessert. Allow the baklava to soak and cool completely at room temperature for several hours, ideally overnight, before serving.