Baklava Turkish Classic

Combine sugar, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and let it cool completely. The syrup must be cold when poured over the hot baklava.

Preheat your oven to 350F (175C). Finely chop your pistachios or walnuts. If using, mix them with cinnamon powder. Clarify the butter by melting it slowly and skimming off the foam, then pouring off the clear butter, leaving the milk solids behind.

Brush the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan generously with clarified butter. Lay one sheet of phyllo dough in the pan, brush lightly with butter. Repeat this process for 8-10 phyllo sheets, buttering each one individually. Ensure the phyllo covers the entire bottom of the pan.

Evenly spread half of the chopped nut mixture over the buttered phyllo layers. Cover the nuts with 2 more buttered phyllo sheets, then spread the remaining nut mixture on top.

Top the second nut layer with the remaining 10-12 phyllo sheets, buttering each sheet generously. Once all layers are assembled, use a sharp knife to cut the baklava into diamond shapes or squares. Do not cut all the way through the bottom layer, just enough to mark the portions.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the baklava is golden brown and crispy. If it starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely cover it with foil. The edges should be deeply golden.

Immediately after removing the baklava from the oven, pour the completely cold syrup evenly over the hot baklava. You will hear a sizzling sound. Let the baklava sit at room temperature for at least 4-6 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the syrup to fully absorb.