Baklava Walnut Honey Layers

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 cup water, honey, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and let it cool completely. The syrup must be cool when poured over hot baklava.

In a bowl, combine the finely chopped walnuts, 1/4 cup sugar, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves (if using). Mix well to ensure the spices and sugar are evenly distributed throughout the walnuts. Set aside.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan with some of the melted butter. Keep the phyllo dough covered with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out while you work.

Place two sheets of phyllo dough in the bottom of the prepared pan, brushing generously with melted butter. Repeat this process, layering two sheets of phyllo and brushing with butter, until you have about 8-10 buttered layers on the bottom. Spread half of the walnut mixture evenly over the phyllo layers.

Place another two sheets of phyllo dough over the walnuts, brushing with butter. Continue layering two sheets of phyllo and brushing with butter until you have used about 10-12 more sheets. Spread the remaining half of the walnut mixture evenly over these phyllo layers. Finish layering with the remaining phyllo sheets, brushing every two sheets with butter, until all phyllo is used. Ensure the top layers are well-buttered.

Using a sharp knife, cut the baklava into diamond or square shapes, cutting all the way through to the bottom of the pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed. The baklava should sound hollow when tapped lightly.

Immediately after removing the hot baklava from the oven, slowly and evenly pour the cooled honey syrup over the entire surface. The baklava will sizzle and absorb the syrup. Let the baklava cool completely at room temperature for at least 4-6 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the syrup to fully soak in and the layers to set.